Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. investigation in hospitalized horses and contacting personnel in a teaching veterinary hospital.
Authors: Olivo Giovane, Zakia Luiza Stachewski, Ribeiro Márcio Garcia, da Cunha Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza, Riboli Danilo Flávio Morais, Mello Priscila Luiza, Teixeira Nathalia Bibiana, de Araújo César Erineudo Tavares, Oliveira-Filho José Paes, Borges Alexandre Secorun
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Methicillin-resistant *Staphylococcus* species pose an ongoing challenge in equine hospital settings, where close contact between horses and personnel creates opportunities for cross-transmission of antimicrobial-resistant strains. Researchers at a Brazilian teaching hospital screened nasal swabs from 131 hospitalised horses and 35 staff members (veterinarians and support staff) using traditional culture methods alongside molecular identification techniques including PCR and gene sequencing to determine prevalence and assess interspecies transmission risk. Staphylococcal colonisation occurred in 18% of horses (predominantly *S. hyicus*, *S. aureus*, *S. pseudintermedius*, and *S. schleiferi*), with a methicillin-resistant *S. pseudintermedius* isolate identified; in contrast, 40% of human samples yielded *Staphylococcus aureus*, and crucially, four isolates displayed the livestock-associated clonal profile ST398, with one human isolate showing 98.1% genetic similarity to an isolate from a hospitalised horse. This near-identical match between equine and human strains demonstrates direct transmission risk and underscores the zoonotic potential of resistant staphylococci in veterinary teaching hospitals. Equine professionals should implement rigorous biosecurity protocols—including hand hygiene, barrier precautions, and isolation procedures for colonised patients—to mitigate spread of multidrug-resistant organisms between horses and hospital personnel.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Implement strict biosecurity protocols in teaching hospitals and equine facilities to prevent transmission of methicillin-resistant staphylococci between horses and personnel
- •Nasal carriage of MRS in hospitalized horses and staff represents a zoonotic risk; routine screening may be warranted in high-risk settings
- •Veterinarians and stable staff should practice enhanced hygiene measures (hand washing, appropriate PPE) when handling hospitalized horses, particularly those with suppurative conditions
Key Findings
- •Staphylococcal species were isolated in 18% (23/131) of hospitalized horses, with S. hyicus (8%), S. aureus (4%), S. pseudintermedius (4%), and S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans (2%)
- •Methicillin resistance (mecA gene) was detected in one S. pseudintermedius isolate from horses
- •Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 40% (14/35) of human samples, with ST398 clonal profile identified in four samples
- •A clonal similarity of 98.1% between one horse and one human contact suggests possible interspecies transmission of multidrug-resistant S. aureus