Genomic Diversity of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus CC398 Isolates Collected from Diseased Swine in the German National Resistance Monitoring Program GE <i>RM</i> -Vet from 2007 to 2019
Henrike Krüger-Haker, Xing Ji, Dennis Hanke, S. Fiedler, Andrea T. Feßler, Nansong Jiang, Heike Kaspar, Yang Wang, Congming Wu, Štefan Schwarz
Abstract
The LA-MRSA-CC398 lineage is known for its low host specificity and frequent multiresistance to antimicrobial agents. Colonized swine and their related surroundings represent a considerable risk of LA-MRSA-CC398 colonization or infection for occupationally exposed people through which such isolates might be further disseminated within the human community. This study provides insight into the diversity of the porcine LA-MRSA-CC398 lineage in Germany. Clonal and geographical correlations of molecular characteristics and resistance and virulence traits were detected and may be associated with the spread of specific isolates through livestock trade, human occupational exposure, or dust emission. The demonstrated genetic variability underlines the lineage's ability to horizontally acquire foreign genetic material. Thus, LA-MRSA-CC398 isolates have the potential to become even more dangerous for various host species, including humans, due to increased virulence and/or limited therapeutic options for infection control. Full-scale LA-MRSA monitoring at the farm, community, and hospital level is therefore essential.