Sarah van Alen1, Ursula Kaspar1, Evgeny A Idelevich1, Robin Köck1, Karsten Becker2. 1. Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of Münster, Domagkstraße 10, 48149 Münster, Germany. 2. Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of Münster, Domagkstraße 10, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: kbecker@uni-muenster.de.
Abstract
PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA), particularly of the clonal complex (CC) 398, emerged as zoonotic pathogens predominantly among humans with direct or indirect livestock contact, but also in healthcare settings. The factors contributing to the success of LA-MRSA are only poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: During the past years, the use of heavy metal compounds as feed-supplements was found to influence the co-selection of LA-MRSA in pig herds. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of zinc resistance among MRSA CC398 isolated from patients of a German university hospital located in a pig farming-dense area. METHODS AND APPROACH: In comparison to concurrent healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), LA-MRSA CC398 comprising isolates from their first appearance in 2000 to recent isolates from 2014 were included. RESULTS: Among MRSA CC398, the overall resistance rate towards zinc chloride was 57% compared to only 3% among concurrently isolated HA-MRSA. Zinc resistance correlated with the presence of the czrC gene in 100% of the MRSA CC398 and in 67% of the HA-MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: The zinc resistance rate in MRSA CC398 significantly increased from 2009 to 2014 with a maximum in 2014. Alarmingly, zinc resistance has become a frequent phenotype of human LA-MRSA in Germany potentially facilitating co-selection of antibiotic resistance genes.
PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA), particularly of the clonal complex (CC) 398, emerged as zoonotic pathogens predominantly among humans with direct or indirect livestock contact, but also in healthcare settings. The factors contributing to the success of LA-MRSA are only poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: During the past years, the use of heavy metal compounds as feed-supplements was found to influence the co-selection of LA-MRSA in pig herds. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of zinc resistance among MRSA CC398 isolated from patients of a German university hospital located in a pig farming-dense area. METHODS AND APPROACH: In comparison to concurrent healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), LA-MRSA CC398 comprising isolates from their first appearance in 2000 to recent isolates from 2014 were included. RESULTS: Among MRSA CC398, the overall resistance rate towards zinc chloride was 57% compared to only 3% among concurrently isolated HA-MRSA. Zinc resistance correlated with the presence of the czrC gene in 100% of the MRSA CC398 and in 67% of the HA-MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: The zinc resistance rate in MRSA CC398 significantly increased from 2009 to 2014 with a maximum in 2014. Alarmingly, zinc resistance has become a frequent phenotype of human LA-MRSA in Germany potentially facilitating co-selection of antibiotic resistance genes.
Authors: Sofia Dias; Ana P Mucha; Rute Duarte Crespo; Pedro Rodrigues; C Marisa R Almeida Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-11-19 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Stefan E Heiden; Nils-Olaf Hübner; Jürgen A Bohnert; Claus-Dieter Heidecke; Axel Kramer; Veronika Balau; Wolfgang Gierer; Stephan Schaefer; Tim Eckmanns; Sören Gatermann; Elias Eger; Sebastian Guenther; Karsten Becker; Katharina Schaufler Journal: Genome Med Date: 2020-12-09 Impact factor: 11.117