Multiple introductions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST612 into Western Australia associated both with human and equine reservoirs.
Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is a serious human and animal pathogen. Multilocus sequence type 612 (ST612) is the dominant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clone in certain South African hospitals and is sporadically isolated from horses and horse-associated veterinarians in Australia. Colonisation and infection by ST612-MRSA is increasing in Western Australia. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for 51 isolates of ST612-MRSA from Western Australian patients and healthcare workers, South African hospital patients, Australian veterinarians and New South Wales horses. Core genome phylogenies suggested that Australian equine and veterinarian-associated ST612-MRSA were monophyletic. Individual Western Australian isolates grouped either with this equine-associated lineage or more diverse lineages related to those in South African hospitals. Bioinformatic analyses of the complete ST612-MRSA reference genome SVH7513 confirmed that ST612-MRSA was closely related to ST8 USA500 MRSA. Common use of rifampicin in South Africa and equine veterinarian practice may favour ST612-MRSA in these settings. Humans and horses colonised with ST612-MRSA are potential reservoirs for MRSA in Australia.
Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-08-31 PubMed ID: 31479739DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.08.022Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article reveals the frequent introduction of a dominant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clone, ST612, into Western Australia, with both human and horse reservoirs playing an essential part in this occurrence.
Research Methods
- Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 51 isolates of MRSA ST612 sourced from Western Australian patients and healthcare providers, South African hospital attendees, veterinarians in Australia, and horses hailing from New South Wales.
- A core genome phylogenetic approach was used to determine the evolutionary relationships between the different isolates.
- The study also conducted a thorough bioinformatics analysis of the complete ST612-MRSA reference genome, SVH7513, to establish the link between ST612-MRSA and ST8 USA500 MRSA.
Key Findings
- The results suggested that MRSA ST612 related to Australian horses and veterinarians are monophyletic, indicating they share a common ancestor.
- Investigation of the Western Australian samples showed that they either belonged to this shared lineage of equine-associated MRSA ST612, or they were part of more diverse lineages that resemble those found in South African hospitals.
- The ST612-MRSA was found to be closely aligned with ST8 USA500 MRSA and the frequent use of rifampicin, an antibiotic, in South Africa and equine veterinary practices might contribute to the proliferation of this MRSA clone in these environments.
Conclusion
- Humans and horses colonized with ST612-MRSA are deemed as potential reservoirs for MRSA in Australia, which has significant implications for public health and the management of the disease in the country.
- It suggests the need for initiatives to combat the spread of this drug-resistant bacterium across both human and animal populations, along with the development of best practice guidelines to effectively manage and treat MRSA infection in these contexts.
Cite This Article
APA
Murphy RJT, Ramsay JP, Lee YT, Pang S, O'Dea MA, Pearson JC, Axon JE, Raby E, Abdulgader SM, Whitelaw A, Coombs GW.
(2019).
Multiple introductions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST612 into Western Australia associated both with human and equine reservoirs.
Int J Antimicrob Agents, 54(6), 681-685.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.08.022 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI) and School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI) and School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
- Clovelly Intensive Care Unit, Scone Equine Hospital, 106 Liverpool Street, Scone, New South Wales, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa; Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: geoffrey.coombs@health.wa.gov.au.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Disease Reservoirs / microbiology
- Genome, Bacterial
- Horses / microbiology
- Humans
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
- Phylogeny
- Western Australia
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