October 1, 2007

 

Seven in ten Belgian pig farms has MRSA bacteria

 

 

The bacteria Methilin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) has been found in 68 percent of the pig farms, a recent survey in Belgium revealed.

 

Pig MRSA was also found in four out of ten farmers or their relatives.

 

The pig MRSA, a variant of the human MRSA, has also been found in several EU countries such as Austria, Denmark and Germany.

 

The bacteria is reproduced both in production animals and in humans.

 

Although research is still ongoing, it is believed that MRSA is widespread in the pig and cattle populations.

 

This strain is mainly found to colonise animals, but has in a few cases been found to cause infections.

 

The bacteria is difficult to study as it was hard to isolate. To do so would require selective enrichment media.

 

This MRSA variant was believed to have entered pig farms in the Netherlands in October 2003

 

Although the bacteria is not so much a problem for the pigs, humans working with pigs and other farm animals might carry the infection into hospitals, where it would create the most damage. Patients who have the disease are likely to stay longer and have a higher mortality than those who do not, according to Wikipedia.

 

Although MRSA bacteria is more commonly found in hospital settings, it is now more common in communities.

 

The mechanism for the colonisation of MRSA in pigs and other production animals is currently unknown but may be linked to the use of cephalosporins and other antibiotics in the feed.