Detection of livestock-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus CC398 in retail pork, United Kingdom, February 2015

Euro Surveill. 2015 Jun 18;20(24):21156. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2015.20.24.21156.

Abstract

Livestock-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus belonging to clonal complex 398 (LA-MRSA CC398) is an important cause of zoonotic infections in many countries. Here, we describe the isolation of LA-MRSA CC398 from retail meat samples of United Kingdom (UK) farm origin. Our findings indicate that this lineage is probably established in UK pig farms and demonstrate a potential pathway for the transmission of LA-MRSA CC398 from livestock to humans in the UK.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Commerce
  • Humans
  • Livestock
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Molecular Typing
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Red Meat / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary*
  • Sus scrofa*
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology