anthrozoology.org

Enoch, D. A.; Karas, J. A.; Slater, J. D.; Emery, M. M.; Kearns, A. M.; Farrington, M.

Journal of Hospital Infection. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands: 2005. 60: 2, 186-188. 8

Abstract An 11-year-old border collie acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a UK general hospital after visiting care-of-the-elderly wards. The dog and owner were both asymptomatic and had no apparent source of MRSA. The swabs taken after the ward visit grew MRSA. The antibiotic susceptibility profile was typical of MRSA found in the hospital. mecA gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction. The isolate was confirmed as MRSA and genotyping by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed it to be a variant of EMRSA 15. Two other pet therapy dogs were screened before visiting the hospital and were found to be MRSA-negative. MRSA screening of the index dog two weeks later was negative. The isolates from seven known MRSA patients in the wards visited by the dog were identified as EMRSA 15 and displayed five different PFGE patterns. All differed from the dog isolate. It is suggested that pet therapy dogs can acquire and spread MRSA. Some guidelines for the prevention of spread of MRSA from pet therapy dogs for use in hospitals and in other health care settings are outlined. Further studies are required to assess carriage sites and prevalence of MRSA in pet therapy dogs and the potential risk to patients.