Emerging Infectious Diseases (Mar 2008)

Methicillin-Resistant and -Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398 in Pigs and Humans

  • Alex van Belkum,
  • Damian C. Melles,
  • Justine K. Peeters,
  • Willem B. van Leeuwen,
  • Engeline van Duijkeren,
  • Xander W. Huijsdens,
  • Emile Spalburg,
  • Albert J. de Neeling,
  • Henri A. Verbrugh

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1403.070760
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 3
pp. 479 – 483

Abstract

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sequence type 398 (ST398 MRSA) was identified in Dutch pigs and pig farmers. ST398 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus circulates among humans at low frequency (0.2%) but was isolated in 3 human cases of bacteremia (2.1%; p = 0.026). Although its natural host is probably porcine, ST398 MRSA likely causes infections in humans.

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