Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Susceptible and Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in Wild, Captive and Laboratory Rats: Effect of Habitat on the Nasal <i>S. aureus</i> Population
Dina Raafat,
Daniel M. Mrochen,
Fawaz Al’Sholui,
Elisa Heuser,
René Ryll,
Kathleen R. Pritchett-Corning,
Jens Jacob,
Bernd Walther,
Franz-Rainer Matuschka,
Dania Richter,
Uta Westerhüs,
Jiri Pikula,
Jens van den Brandt,
Werner Nicklas,
Stefan Monecke,
Birgit Strommenger,
Sarah van Alen,
Karsten Becker,
Rainer G. Ulrich,
Silva Holtfreter
Affiliations
Dina Raafat
Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Daniel M. Mrochen
Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Fawaz Al’Sholui
Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Elisa Heuser
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
René Ryll
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Kathleen R. Pritchett-Corning
Research and Professional Services, Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
Jens Jacob
Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forestry, Vertebrate Research, 48161 Münster, Germany
Bernd Walther
Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forestry, Vertebrate Research, 48161 Münster, Germany
Franz-Rainer Matuschka
Outpatient Clinic, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
Dania Richter
Institute of Geoecology, Landscape Ecology & Environmental Systems Analysis, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
Uta Westerhüs
von Opel Hessische Zoostiftung, 61476 Kronberg im Taunus, Germany
Jiri Pikula
Department of Ecology and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
Jens van den Brandt
Central Core & Research Facility of Laboratory Animals, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Werner Nicklas
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Microbiological Diagnostics, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Stefan Monecke
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT), 07745 Jena, Germany
Birgit Strommenger
National Reference Centre for Staphylococci and Enterococci, Robert-Koch-Institute, Wernigerode Branch, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany
Sarah van Alen
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
Karsten Becker
Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
Rainer G. Ulrich
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Silva Holtfreter
Department of Immunology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Rats are a reservoir of human- and livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, the composition of the natural S. aureus population in wild and laboratory rats is largely unknown. Here, 144 nasal S. aureus isolates from free-living wild rats, captive wild rats and laboratory rats were genotyped and profiled for antibiotic resistances and human-specific virulence genes. The nasal S. aureus carriage rate was higher among wild rats (23.4%) than laboratory rats (12.3%). Free-living wild rats were primarily colonized with isolates of clonal complex (CC) 49 and CC130 and maintained these strains even in husbandry. Moreover, upon livestock contact, CC398 isolates were acquired. In contrast, laboratory rats were colonized with many different S. aureus lineages—many of which are commonly found in humans. Five captive wild rats were colonized with CC398-MRSA. Moreover, a single CC30-MRSA and two CC130-MRSA were detected in free-living or captive wild rats. Rat-derived S. aureus isolates rarely harbored the phage-carried immune evasion gene cluster or superantigen genes, suggesting long-term adaptation to their host. Taken together, our study revealed a natural S. aureus population in wild rats, as well as a colonization pressure on wild and laboratory rats by exposure to livestock- and human-associated S. aureus, respectively.
