Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus : establishing links between animals and humans on livestock holdings

Avberšek, Jana (author), Golob, Majda (author), Papić, Bojan (author), Dermota, Urška (author), Grmek-Košnik, Irena (author), Kušar, Darja (author), Ocepek, Matjaž (author), Zdovc, Irena (author)

Abstract Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) represents a concern in both human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate potential LA-MRSA transmission between animals and humans in rural settings. To this aim, a study was designed to include 14 farms in Slovenia, which were selected on the basis of a farmer (initial patient) with confirmed LA-MRSA infection and regular animal contacts. On all farms, the initial patients, their household members, animals and barn environment were analysed for the presence of LA-MRSA. In addition, the epidemiologically linked hospital-related LA-MRSA isolates were included to investigate possible nosocomial transmissions. On five farms, LA-MRSA was discovered both in animals and in humans. In total, 49 LA-MRSA isolates of different origins underwent whole-genome sequencing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and spa typing. All 49 isolates belonged to the sequence type 398 (ST398), spa types t011 and t034, and harboured staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec Vc. High levels of concordance between resistance phenotypes and genotypes were observed. No transmission pairs between animals and initial patients were discovered. However, several isolates originating from farm animals and other household members formed clusters with pairwise distances of ≤14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indicating recent transmission events. In addition, three closely related isolates (0 SNP) form hospitalized patients were observed, indicating a possible nosocomial transmission. Two hospital-related isolates harboured the immune evasion cluster genes, which are associated with adaptation to the human host; however, these two isolates differed in >30 SNPs from the remaining isolates. Characteristics of LA-MRSA from Slovenia reflect those observed previously in other European studies. Immune evasion cluster-positive LA-MRSA ST398 suggests its re-adaptation to the human host and calls for a closer monitoring of such emerging LA-MRSA lineages, in addition to monitoring and preventing the introduction of LA-MRSA from farms to hospitals where transmission is highly plausible.

• Language: English
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Submitted for review: 11.05.2920
• Article acceptance date: 15.07.2020
• Publication date: 20.03.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 789-801
• Numbering: Vol. 68, no. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128317
• UDC: 579
• ISSN on article: 1865-1674
• DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13745
• COBISS.SI-ID: 27039235
• Publication date in RUL: 08.07.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Transboundary and emerging diseases
• Shortened title: Transboun Emerg Dis
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1865-1674
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2922874

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J4-6810
• Name: Rejne živali kot rezervoar okužb z bakterijama Clostridium difficile in MRSA pri ljudeh

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J4-8224
• Name: Ugotavljanje in karakterizacija povzročiteljev kužnih bolezni z metodo naslednje generacije sekvenciranja