Louise Feld

TY - JOUR

T1 - No apparent transmission of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus CC398 in a survey of staff at a regional Danish hospital

AU - Würtz, Else Toft

AU - Bønløkke, Jakob Hjort

AU - Urth, Tinna Ravnholt

AU - Larsen, Jesper

AU - Islam, Md Zohorul

AU - Sigsgaard, Torben

AU - Schlünssen, Vivi

AU - Skou, Troels

AU - Madsen, Anne Mette

AU - Feld, Louise

AU - Moslehi-Jenabian, Saloomeh

AU - Skov, Robert Leo

AU - Omland, Øyvind

PY - 2017/12/13

Y1 - 2017/12/13

N2 - Background: In recent years, livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) multi locus sequence type CC398 has spread widely in the livestock production in Europe. The rates of LA-MRSA in hospitals have been found to be largely determined by contact to and density of livestock in the area.Methods: This is a cross sectional study of the prevalence of LA-MRSA among hospital staff in a Danish hospital situated in a livestock production region. We analysed nasal swabs, air and dust samples for the presence of MRSA using PCR and mass spectrometry.Results: Of 1745 employees, 545 (31%) contributed nasal swabs. MRSA was not detected in any participant, nor was it detected in air or dust at the hospital or in houses of employees living on farms. Four percent of the participants had contact to pigs either directly or through household members. LA-MRSA was detected in two of 26 samples from animal sheds, both of them from pig farms. The participation rate was relatively low, but participants were representative for the source population with regards to animal contact and job titles.Conclusions: The study suggests a low point prevalence of LA-MRSA carriage in Danish hospital staff even in regions where livestock production is dense. Should more studies confirm our findings we see no need for additional hospital precautions towards LA-MRSA in Denmark at the moment. We think that our data might reduce potential stigmatization of hospital workers with contact to LA-MRSA positive farms at their work places and in their communities.

AB - Background: In recent years, livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) multi locus sequence type CC398 has spread widely in the livestock production in Europe. The rates of LA-MRSA in hospitals have been found to be largely determined by contact to and density of livestock in the area.Methods: This is a cross sectional study of the prevalence of LA-MRSA among hospital staff in a Danish hospital situated in a livestock production region. We analysed nasal swabs, air and dust samples for the presence of MRSA using PCR and mass spectrometry.Results: Of 1745 employees, 545 (31%) contributed nasal swabs. MRSA was not detected in any participant, nor was it detected in air or dust at the hospital or in houses of employees living on farms. Four percent of the participants had contact to pigs either directly or through household members. LA-MRSA was detected in two of 26 samples from animal sheds, both of them from pig farms. The participation rate was relatively low, but participants were representative for the source population with regards to animal contact and job titles.Conclusions: The study suggests a low point prevalence of LA-MRSA carriage in Danish hospital staff even in regions where livestock production is dense. Should more studies confirm our findings we see no need for additional hospital precautions towards LA-MRSA in Denmark at the moment. We think that our data might reduce potential stigmatization of hospital workers with contact to LA-MRSA positive farms at their work places and in their communities.

KW - Journal Article

KW - animal farming

KW - bacterial transmission

KW - dust

KW - hospital employees

KW - hospital environment

KW - LA-MRSA

KW - nasal swabs

U2 - 10.1186/s13756-017-0284-y

DO - 10.1186/s13756-017-0284-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29255600

VL - 6

SP - 126

JO - Antimicrobial resistance and infection control

JF - Antimicrobial resistance and infection control

SN - 2047-2994

ER -