Some alarming statistics that have massive
implications. A harmless activity carries a risk of catching superbugs.
British government veterinarians have still not managed to find MRSA st398 in British pigs.
They have not looked properly, anxious to blame everyone else when they do finally have to admit its presence on British farms.
They have not looked properly, anxious to blame everyone else when they do finally have to admit its presence on British farms.
MRSA st398 was found it in some Scottish children some years ago.
The current position is if they do have it in livestock, there is no danger to
humans.
We pay these veterinarians, but for what?
Why are they advising on human health issues?
Why are they advising on human health issues?
Summary and access to full report here
Published online: 12 December 2011
MRSA-ST398 in livestock farmers and neighbouring residents in a
rural area in Germany
B. BISDORFFa1 c1,
J. L. SCHOLHÖLTERa1, K. CLAUßENa2, M. PULZa2,
D. NOWAKa1 and K.
RADONa1
a1 Institute
and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine,
University Hospital of Munich (LMU), Occupational and Environmental
Epidemiology & NetTeaching Unit, Munich, Germany
a2 Governmental
Institute of Public Health of Lower Saxony, Hannover, Germany
SUMMARY
Prevalence of and risk factors associated with MRSA-ST398
carriage in 1872 (response 70%) farmers and neighbouring residents in a pig-
and poultry-dense area in Germany were investigated using a cross-sectional
study and self-sampling nasal swabs. In the population, 1% without occupational
livestock contact and 24% with occupational livestock contact tested positive
for MRSA-ST398. The group without occupational livestock contact was 3·8 times
[95% confidence interval (CI) 1·5–9·3] more likely to be colonized if a
household member had livestock contact and 3·2 times (95% CI 1·4–7·4) more
likely if they regularly made private farm visits (e.g. to buy eggs or milk).
In the group with occupational livestock contact, pig contact had an odds ratio
of 7·1 (95% CI 2·9–17·2) for MRSA-ST398 acquisition. This is the first study to
associate private farm visits with acquisition of MRSA; more research to
explore the exact transmission routes is necessary.
