The developing pig respiratory microbiome harbors strains antagonistic to common respiratory pathogens.

Unlabelled: In the global efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance and reduce antimicrobial use in pig production, there is a continuous search for methods to prevent and/or treat infections. Within this scope, we explored the relationship between the developing piglet nasal microbiome and (zoonotic) bacterial pathogens from birth until 10 weeks of life. The nasal microbiome of 54 pigs was longitudinally studied over 16 timepoints on 9 farms in 3 European countries (Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands) using amplicon sequencing targeting the V3-V4 16S rRNA region as well as the gene for its staphylococcal discrimination power.

Safety Evaluation of an Intranasally Applied Cocktail of Strains in Pigs.

Three strains from the nasal microbiota of healthy pigs were identified as candidates for reducing MRSA in pigs. The safety of nasal administration of a cocktail of these strains was examined in new-born piglets. Six days pre-farrowing, twelve sows were assigned to the placebo or cocktail group ( = 6/group).

A comparison of passive and active dust sampling methods for measuring airborne methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pig farms.

Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are resistant to most β-lactam antibiotics. Pigs are an important reservoir of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA), which is genetically distinct from both hospital and community-acquired MRSA. Occupational exposure to pigs on farms can lead to LA-MRSA carriage by workers.

Differential Analysis of Longitudinal Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Relation to Microbial Shifts in the Nasal Microbiome of Neonatal Piglets.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important human pathogen and often colonizes pigs. To lower the risk of MRSA transmission to humans, a reduction of MRSA prevalence and/or load in pig farms is needed. The nasal microbiome contains commensal species that may protect against MRSA colonization and may be used to develop competitive exclusion strategies.