TY - JOUR
T1 - Detecting mecA in Faecal Samples
T2 - A Tool for Assessing Carriage of Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococci in Pets and Owners in the Microbiological ‘Fast Age’?
AU - Frosini, Siân-Marie
AU - Gallow, Georgina
AU - Gibson, Amanda
AU - Menezes, Juliana
AU - Pomba, Constança
AU - Loeffler, Anette
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by JPIAMR/0002/2016 Project—PETRisk Consortium through the Medical Research Council (MRC, UK; MR/R000042/1) and the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia IP (FCT, Portugal; UIDB/00276/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020). J.M. holds a FCT PhD fellowship (2020.07562.BD).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/1/13
Y1 - 2023/1/13
N2 - Sampling animals for carriage of meticillin-resistant, coagulase-positive staphylococci (MRCoPS), considered zoonotic pathogens, can be challenging and time-consuming. Developing methods to identify mecA from non-invasive samples, e.g., faeces, would benefit AMR surveillance and management of MRS carrier animals. This study aimed to distinguish MRS carriers from non-carriers from faecal samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for mecA. Paired faecal and nasal swab samples (n = 86) were obtained from 13 dogs and 20 humans as part of a longitudinal study. Nasal MRCoPS carriage (either MR-Staphylococcus aureus or MR-Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was confirmed by identification of species (nuc) and meticillin resistance (mecA) (PCR). Faecal DNA (n = 69) was extracted and a qPCR method was optimised to provide a robust detection method. The presence of faecal mecA was compared between MRS carriers and non-carriers (Kruskal–Wallis test). Nasal swabbing identified seven canine and four human MRCoPS carriers. mecA was detected in 13/69 faecal samples, including four MRCoPS carriers and nine non-carriers. For dogs, there was no significant association (p = 1.000) between carrier status and mecA detection; for humans, mecA was more commonly detected in MRCoPS carriers (p = 0.047). mecA was detected in faeces of MRCoPS carriers and non-carriers by qPCR, but larger sample sizes are required to determine assay sensitivity. This rapid method enables passive surveillance of mecA in individuals and the environment.
AB - Sampling animals for carriage of meticillin-resistant, coagulase-positive staphylococci (MRCoPS), considered zoonotic pathogens, can be challenging and time-consuming. Developing methods to identify mecA from non-invasive samples, e.g., faeces, would benefit AMR surveillance and management of MRS carrier animals. This study aimed to distinguish MRS carriers from non-carriers from faecal samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for mecA. Paired faecal and nasal swab samples (n = 86) were obtained from 13 dogs and 20 humans as part of a longitudinal study. Nasal MRCoPS carriage (either MR-Staphylococcus aureus or MR-Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was confirmed by identification of species (nuc) and meticillin resistance (mecA) (PCR). Faecal DNA (n = 69) was extracted and a qPCR method was optimised to provide a robust detection method. The presence of faecal mecA was compared between MRS carriers and non-carriers (Kruskal–Wallis test). Nasal swabbing identified seven canine and four human MRCoPS carriers. mecA was detected in 13/69 faecal samples, including four MRCoPS carriers and nine non-carriers. For dogs, there was no significant association (p = 1.000) between carrier status and mecA detection; for humans, mecA was more commonly detected in MRCoPS carriers (p = 0.047). mecA was detected in faeces of MRCoPS carriers and non-carriers by qPCR, but larger sample sizes are required to determine assay sensitivity. This rapid method enables passive surveillance of mecA in individuals and the environment.
KW - Communication
KW - MRSP
KW - MRSA
KW - surveillance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152544938&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/microbiolres14010005
DO - 10.3390/microbiolres14010005
M3 - Article
VL - 14
SP - 60
EP - 66
JO - Microbiology Research
JF - Microbiology Research
IS - 1
ER -