Molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pigs in Japan.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the leading cause of infection in hospitalized patients and can be prevalent in humans and various animal species. In European countries, MRSA isolates belonging to clonal complex 398 have been detected at high rates in pigs. However, the prevalence of MRSA in pigs and farm environments in Japan remains unclear.

A Japanese trial to monitor methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in imported swine during the quarantine period.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in imported swine during the quarantine period in Japan.

Methods: Nasal swabs from a total of 125 swine belonging to 15 lots (unit of import) from five countries were investigated for MRSA from July 2016 to February 2017. Two isolates per positive lot were chosen for multilocus sequence typing (MLST).