Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus GG0398 on livestock farms and meat in the Netherlands
van Duijkeren, Engeline Brouwer, Mike SM Wullings, Bart Rapallini, Michel Wit, Ben Cuperus, Tryntsje Hengeveld, Paul D Witteveen, Sandra Hendrickx, Antoni PA Dierikx, Cindy M
van Duijkeren, Engeline
Brouwer, Mike SM
Wullings, Bart
Rapallini, Michel
Wit, Ben
Cuperus, Tryntsje
Hengeveld, Paul D
Witteveen, Sandra
Hendrickx, Antoni PA
Dierikx, Cindy M
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2025-04-19
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus GG0398 on livestock farms and meat in the Netherlands
Translated Title
Published in
J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2025; 43:79-85
Abstract
The objective of this collaborative surveillance project was to investigate the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among livestock farms, persons working/living on these farms, and on meat.
Samples from Dutch broiler, pig, veal calf, dairy cattle, and sheep farms, persons living/working on these farms and retail meat collected between 2018 and 2023 were cultured using (pre-) enrichment and selective plates. Next-generation sequencing of a subset of MRSA was performed to detect mecA/mecC, Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) and to assign genogroups (GGs).
On 113 of 149 (75.8%) pig farms, MRSA was present. The prevalence was lower among veal calf (44/173; 25.4%), and dairy (11/181; 6.1%), sheep (7/156; 4.5%), and broiler farms (0/195; 0%). Among 375 persons working/living on the farms, we identified 17 (4.5%) nasal MRSA carriers and all were farmers. All but two isolates from the farms belonged to GG0398 (= CC398). In total, 4529 Dutch retail meat samples were analysed and 412 (9.1%) were MRSA-positive. Poultry meat was most often contaminated. Most meat isolates (97/148; 65.5%) belonged to GG0398. All but one isolate carried mecA, and all were PVL-negative.
Despite the reduction of antimicrobial use by > 70% in veterinary medicine since 2009, most pig farms are still MRSA positive. Farmers have a higher risk of being a nasal MRSA carrier than persons in the general population. Meat is regularly contaminated with MRSA, but this is considered a limited risk for consumers. Almost all the MRSA belonged to GG0398 confirming the continuous predominance of this type of MRSA in livestock and on meat.
Samples from Dutch broiler, pig, veal calf, dairy cattle, and sheep farms, persons living/working on these farms and retail meat collected between 2018 and 2023 were cultured using (pre-) enrichment and selective plates. Next-generation sequencing of a subset of MRSA was performed to detect mecA/mecC, Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) and to assign genogroups (GGs).
On 113 of 149 (75.8%) pig farms, MRSA was present. The prevalence was lower among veal calf (44/173; 25.4%), and dairy (11/181; 6.1%), sheep (7/156; 4.5%), and broiler farms (0/195; 0%). Among 375 persons working/living on the farms, we identified 17 (4.5%) nasal MRSA carriers and all were farmers. All but two isolates from the farms belonged to GG0398 (= CC398). In total, 4529 Dutch retail meat samples were analysed and 412 (9.1%) were MRSA-positive. Poultry meat was most often contaminated. Most meat isolates (97/148; 65.5%) belonged to GG0398. All but one isolate carried mecA, and all were PVL-negative.
Despite the reduction of antimicrobial use by > 70% in veterinary medicine since 2009, most pig farms are still MRSA positive. Farmers have a higher risk of being a nasal MRSA carrier than persons in the general population. Meat is regularly contaminated with MRSA, but this is considered a limited risk for consumers. Almost all the MRSA belonged to GG0398 confirming the continuous predominance of this type of MRSA in livestock and on meat.