Longitudinal study of horses for carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus following wound infections.
Abstract: An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in horses in Sweden raised questions concerning the risk posed by horses to their surroundings following MRSA infections. This initiated a longitudinal study to investigate how long MRSA-infected horses remained positive and to test the sensitivity of different anatomical sampling sites for detection of MRSA. Between October 2008 and June 2010, 9 of 15 horses notified as having MRSA-infected wounds fitted the case criteria for the study. The cases were sampled at five anatomical sites (nostrils, corner of mouth, pastern, perineum, and previous infection site) on six to seven occasions or more during approximately 12-18 months. MRSA-specific broth and agar were used for culture. Verified MRSA isolates were spa-typed. The sensitivity of sampling sites was calculated. The most sensitive sampling site was the nostrils, with a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.59-1.00). The other test sites had a sensitivity of 0-0.09. Individual cases tested positive, but with time all tested negative. The observed carriage time ranged from 55 to 711 days (median=143, IQR: 111-172 days), but these data should be interpreted with caution since only a small number of cases were studied.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-01-23 PubMed ID: 23428383DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.01.004Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper investigates how long horses infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remain carriers of the bacteria, and how sensitive various anatomical sites are to MRSA detection.
Study Background and Purpose
- The research was initiated following an outbreak of MRSA infections in horses in Sweden, as concern was raised about the risk these infected horses would pose to their surroundings.
- The main goals of the research were to understand how long horses carrying MRSA infections remained infected, and to evaluate the sensitivity of different anatomical sites for detecting MRSA.
Methodology of the Study
- The longitudinal study was conducted between October 2008 and June 2010. Of the 15 horses identified as having MRSA-infected wounds, 9 meet the criteria for the study.
- The horses were sampled at five anatomical sites – the nostrils, corner of mouth, pastern, perineum, and previous infection site.
- The sampling was done on six or more occasions across a period of roughly 12 to 18 months.
- MRSA-specific broth and agar cultures were used for the investigation. The MRSA isolates from the cultures were then spa-typed for identification.
Results of the Study
- The most sensitive site for sampling was found to be the nostrils, with a sensitivity rate of 0.91. The other test sites showed significantly less sensitivity, with rates varying from 0 to 0.09.
- Individual horses tested positive for the bacteria but over time, they all eventually tested negative.
- Observed carriage time i.e., the period the horses remained carriers of the bacterium, ranged from 55 to 711 days with a median duration of 143 days.
Limitations and Conclusion
- The researchers advised caution when interpreting the data due to the small sample size of horses in the study.
- Despite the limitations, the research provides valuable insights into the duration of MRSA carriage in horses and the sensitivity of different anatomical sites in detecting MRSA.
Cite This Article
APA
Bergström K, Bengtsson B, Nyman A, Grönlund Andersson U.
(2013).
Longitudinal study of horses for carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus following wound infections.
Vet Microbiol, 163(3-4), 388-391.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.01.004 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. karin.bergstrom@sva.se
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Carrier State / microbiology
- Female
- Horses
- Longitudinal Studies
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / physiology
- Nasal Cavity / microbiology
- Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis
- Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
- Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
- Sweden
- Wound Infection / microbiology
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Stöckle SD, Kannapin DA, Merle R, Lübke-Becker A, Gehlen H. Comparison of a Single-Shot Antibiotic Protocol Compared to a Conventional 5-Day Antibiotic Protocol in Equine Diagnostic Laparotomy Regarding Pre- and Postoperative Colonization with Multi-Drug-Resistant Indicator Pathogens. Antibiotics (Basel) 2026 Jan 21;15(1).
- Allano M, Arsenault J, Archambault M, Fairbrother JH, Sauvé F. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization in Horses Admitted to a Veterinary Teaching Hospital. J Vet Intern Med 2025 May-Jun;39(3):e70027.
- Brock AK, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Howard EA, Huntzinger KD, Lawhon SD, Bryan LK, Cosgriff-Hernandez EM, Cohen ND, Whitfield-Cargile CM. Wound swabs versus biopsies to detect methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in experimental equine wounds. Vet Surg 2022 Nov;51(8):1196-1205.
- Nielsen SS, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Baldinelli F, Broglia A, Kohnle L, Alvarez J. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in cattle and horses. EFSA J 2022 May;20(5):e07312.
- Adams R, Smith J, Locke S, Phillips E, Erol E, Carter C, Odoi A. An epidemiologic study of antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus species isolated from equine samples submitted to a diagnostic laboratory. BMC Vet Res 2018 Feb 5;14(1):42.
- Bortolami A, Williams NJ, McGowan CM, Kelly PG, Archer DC, Corrò M, Pinchbeck G, Saunders CJ, Timofte D. Environmental surveillance identifies multiple introductions of MRSA CC398 in an Equine Veterinary Hospital in the UK, 2011-2016. Sci Rep 2017 Jul 14;7(1):5499.
- Koop G, Vrieling M, Storisteanu DM, Lok LS, Monie T, van Wigcheren G, Raisen C, Ba X, Gleadall N, Hadjirin N, Timmerman AJ, Wagenaar JA, Klunder HM, Fitzgerald JR, Zadoks R, Paterson GK, Torres C, Waller AS, Loeffler A, Loncaric I, Hoet AE, Bergström K, De Martino L, Pomba C, de Lencastre H, Ben Slama K, Gharsa H, Richardson EJ, Chilvers ER, de Haas C, van Kessel K, van Strijp JA, Harrison EM, Holmes MA. Identification of LukPQ, a novel, equid-adapted leukocidin of Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2017 Jan 20;7:40660.
- Olofsson TC, Butler É, Lindholm C, Nilson B, Michanek P, Vásquez A. Fighting Off Wound Pathogens in Horses with Honeybee Lactic Acid Bacteria. Curr Microbiol 2016 Oct;73(4):463-73.
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