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The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy2006; 58(6); 1118-1123; doi: 10.1093/jac/dkl394

spa typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from domestic animals and veterinary staff in the UK and Ireland.

Abstract: Region X of the protein A gene (spa) was sequenced from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates originating from animals, humans and the environment at veterinary hospitals in the UK and Ireland. MRSA transmission between animals and veterinary staff was assessed on the basis of spa typing, PFGE and epidemiological data. Methods: MRSA isolates from dogs (n = 27), horses (n = 9), cats (n = 6), staff (n = 22) and environmental surfaces (n = 3) were analysed by PFGE and spa typing. Known contacts between human and animal MRSA carriers were ascertained from the veterinary hospitals. Results: All feline, most canine (96%) and human (82%) isolates showed PFGE profiles that were either indistinguishable (subtype A1) or closely related (subtypes A2-A10) to that of the epidemic clone EMRSA-15 (CC22), whereas most equine isolates (88%) were related to CC8 (types C, D, E and G). spa polymorphism enabled discrimination among MRSA strains assigned to the same PFGE type. Fifteen spa types clustering into two distinct groups were detected, with t032 being the most prevalent (48%). The spa and PFGE types of MRSA isolated from seven staff members were the same as those of strains isolated from infected animals attended by the staff. Conclusions: Irrespective of geographical origin, MRSA isolated from equine and small animal hospitals generally clustered into two distinct clonal complexes, CC8 and CC22, respectively. The combined use of spa and PFGE typing allowed better discrimination than each method used individually, and provided useful information on MRSA transmission between animal and human individuals.
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Publication Date: 2006-10-09 PubMed ID: 17030517DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkl394Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates how the significant bacterial infection methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is transmitted between animals and veterinary staff in the UK and Ireland, using various methods to study the genetics of the bacteria.

Methods

  • The researchers examined the region X of the protein A gene (known as spa) in MRSA samples from a variety of sources including animals, humans and environmental surfaces at vet hospitals.
  • Data was collected about known contacts between humans and animals carrying MRSA at these hospitals.
  • Various methods of genetic analysis including spa typing and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used on the MRSA samples. These methods allow different strains of MRSA to be categorized and compared.

Results

  • Most of the MRSA samples from cats, dogs and humans were found to be very similar or identical to a common strain known as EMRSA-15 (also known varietally as CC22).
  • Most MRSA samples from horses were instead closely related to a different group, CC8.
  • Spa typing of the bacteria was useful in discriminating between different MRSA strains that appeared similar under PFGE.
  • Overall, 15 spa types were found, with t032 being the most prevalent.
  • There were cases in which veterinary staff were found to be infected with the same MRSA spa and PFGE types as animals they had treated.

Conclusions

  • Despite differing geographical locations, MRSA samples tended to cluster into two distinct clonal complexes, CC8 and CC22.
  • Combining spa typing and PFGE analysis provided more detailed information than using either method alone, and was helpful in understanding MRSA transmission between animals and humans.

Cite This Article

APA
Moodley A, Stegger M, Bagcigil AF, Baptiste KE, Loeffler A, Lloyd DH, Williams NJ, Leonard N, Abbott Y, Skov R, Guardabassi L. (2006). spa typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from domestic animals and veterinary staff in the UK and Ireland. J Antimicrob Chemother, 58(6), 1118-1123. https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkl394

Publication

The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
ISSN: 0305-7453
NlmUniqueID: 7513617
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 58
Issue: 6
Pages: 1118-1123

Researcher Affiliations

Moodley, Arshnee
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. asm@kvl.dk
Stegger, Marc
    Bagcigil, Arzu F
      Baptiste, Keith E
        Loeffler, Anette
          Lloyd, David H
            Williams, Nicola J
              Leonard, Nola
                Abbott, Yvonne
                  Skov, Robert
                    Guardabassi, Luca

                      MeSH Terms

                      • Animals
                      • Animals, Domestic / microbiology
                      • Bacterial Typing Techniques / methods
                      • Cats
                      • Cluster Analysis
                      • DNA Fingerprinting
                      • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
                      • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
                      • Dogs
                      • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
                      • Environmental Microbiology
                      • Genotype
                      • Horses
                      • Hospitals, Animal
                      • Humans
                      • Ireland
                      • Methicillin Resistance
                      • Molecular Epidemiology
                      • Polymorphism, Genetic
                      • Sequence Analysis, DNA
                      • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
                      • Staphylococcal Infections / transmission
                      • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
                      • Staphylococcal Protein A / genetics
                      • Staphylococcus aureus / classification
                      • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
                      • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
                      • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
                      • United Kingdom

                      Citations

                      This article has been cited 34 times.
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