prevalence of carriage of meticillin-resistant staphylococci by veterinary dermatology practice staff and their respective pets

• Published in: Veterinary dermatology Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 400 - 407
• Main Authors: Morris, Daniel O, Boston, Raymond C, O'Shea, Kathleen, Rankin, Shelley C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; antibiotic resistance; bacterial infections; Carrier State; Carrier State - epidemiology; Carrier State - microbiology; cat diseases; Cat Diseases - epidemiology; Cat Diseases - microbiology; Cats; classification; Data Collection; disease transmission; dog diseases; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - microbiology; Dogs; epidemiology; health care workers; Humans; isolation & purification; methicillin; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - classification; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; microbiology; Pets; Prevalence; secondary transmission; skin diseases; Soft Tissue Infections; Soft Tissue Infections - epidemiology; Soft Tissue Infections - microbiology; Soft Tissue Infections - veterinary; Staphylococcal Skin Infections; Staphylococcal Skin Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Skin Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Skin Infections - veterinary; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus schleiferi; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; United States - epidemiology; veterinarians; veterinary; veterinary clinics; zoonoses; United States
• ISSN: 0959-4493; 1365-3164; 1365-3164
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00866.x

It has been shown that people and pets can harbour identical strains of meticillin-resistant (MR) staphylococci when they share an environment. Veterinary dermatology practitioners are a professional group with a high incidence of exposure to animals infected by Staphylococcus spp. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of carriage of MR Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), MR S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) and MR S. schleiferi (MRSS) by veterinary dermatology practice staff and their personal pets. A swab technique and selective media were used to screen 171 veterinary dermatology practice staff and their respective pets (258 dogs and 160 cats). Samples were shipped by over-night carrier. Human subjects completed a 22-question survey of demographic and epidemiologic data relevant to staphylococcal transmission. The 171 human-source samples yielded six MRSA (3.5%), nine MRSP (5.3%) and four MRSS (2.3%) isolates, while 418 animal-source samples yielded eight MRSA (1.9%) 21 MRSP (5%), and two MRSS (0.5%) isolates. Concordant strains (genetically identical by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) were isolated from human subjects and their respective pets in four of 171 (2.9%) households: MRSA from one person/two pets and MRSP from three people/three pets. In seven additional households (4.1%), concordant strains were isolated from only the pets: MRSA in two households and MRSP in five households. There were no demographic or epidemiologic factors statistically associated with either human or animal carriage of MR staphylococci, or with concordant carriage by person-pet or pet-pet pairs. Lack of statistical associations may reflect an underpowered study.