MRSA in Animals and the Risk of Infection in Humans

MRSA infection is a major concern in animals and, as in humans, animals can also become carriers. It is suspected that most animals acquire MRSA from humans (reverse zoonosis) (Heot \u26 Hough, 2008). In 1959, Mann was one of the first to culture the nostrils of cats and dogs for Staphylococcus sp. and he proposed that the common house pet can serve as an important reservoir or carrier of staphylococci infective for man (Mann, 1959). In the 1970\u27s MRSA strains were isolated in milk samples in Belgium (Devriese, Van Damme, \u26 Fameree, 1972) (Devriese \u26 Hommez, 1975). Humans can be carriers for weeks to years with no symptoms. Colonized animals can also harbor the bacteria, yet show no clinical signs of infection. Animals that are carriers of MRSA can be detected by culture and sensitivity testing on nasal, ear and rectal swabs. Dogs and cats have not demonstrated any long term colonization as of yet, however, pigs and horses can become long term carriers (Heot \u26 Hough, 2008). At this time the toxin that causes flesh eating staphylococci infections in humans has not been seen in animals, but information about MRSA is changing rapidly (Hillier \u26 Shulaw, 2008)