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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Tierarztl Prax Ausg G Grosstiere Nutztiere 2023; 51(02): 63-69
DOI: 10.1055/a-2004-1474
Original Article

MRSA in bulk tank milk of dairy herds in Germany – changes over time

MRSA in Tankmilchproben von Milchviehbetrieben – Änderungen über die Jahre
Bernd-Alois Tenhagen
1   Abteilung Biologische Sicherheit, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin, Germany
,
Katja Alt
1   Abteilung Biologische Sicherheit, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin, Germany
,
Mirjam Grobbel
1   Abteilung Biologische Sicherheit, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin, Germany
,
Sven Maurischat
1   Abteilung Biologische Sicherheit, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin, Germany
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Abstract

Objective Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have repeatedly been isolated from dairy herds. It was the purpose of this study to compare the results of 3 subsequent national scale cross-sectional investigations in dairy herds in Germany on the prevalence of MRSA in bulk tank milk and the characteristics of the isolates.

Material and Methods The investigations were carried out in 2010, 2014 and 2019, respectively. MRSA were isolated from 25 ml of bulk tank milk using a double selective enrichment protocol. Samples were distributed across the country according to the regional dairy cattle population.

Results The prevalence of MRSA in bulk tank milk samples was lower in 2010 than in 2014 and tended to decrease until 2019. Prevalence was higher in samples from conventional than from organic herds and increased with herd size. Most isolates (75/78) were assigned to the clonal complex 398 and the spa-types t011 and t034. Resistance of the isolates to other antimicrobials than beta-lactams decreased over time.

Conclusions MRSA remain present in the German dairy population and are found more frequently in larger vs. smaller herds and in conventional vs. organic herds.

Clinical relevance MRSA should be considered in biosecurity protocols and with respect to occupational health of farm staff. Presence of MRSA in raw milk supports the recommendation not to drink unpasteurized raw milk.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel Methicillin-resistente Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) wurden wiederholt in Milchviehherden nachgewiesen. Es war das Ziel dieser Studie, die Ergebnisse dreier Querschnittsstudien in Deutschland zu MRSA in Tankmilchproben in deutschen Milchviehbetrieben zu vergleichen im Hinblick auf die Prävalenz der Erreger und Erregereigenschaften.

Material und Methoden Die Untersuchungen wurden 2010, 2014 und 2019 durchgeführt. Je 25 ml Milch aus Tankmilchproben wurden mit einer zweistufigen selektiven Anreicherung auf MRSA untersucht. Die Probenahme wurde proportional zur regionalen Milchviehdichte über das Land verteilt.

Ergebnisse Die Prävalenz von MRSA in den Tankmilchproben war 2010 niedriger als 2014, ging aber bis 2019 wieder leicht zurück. Die Prävalenz war höher in Proben von konventionellen Betrieben als in Proben von ökologisch wirtschaftenden Betrieben und stieg mit der Herdengröße. Die meisten (75/78) Isolate konnten dem klonalen Komplex 398 zugeordnet werden und den spa-Typen t011 und t034. Die Häufigkeit der Resistenz gegenüber weiteren Substanzen nahm im Laufe der Jahre leicht ab.

Schlussfolgerung MRSA werden nach wie vor in Tankmilchproben deutscher Milchviehbetriebe nachgewiesen und sind häufiger in größeren und konventionellen Betrieben als in kleineren und ökologisch wirtschaftenden Betrieben.

Klinische Relevanz Mitarbeitende in Milchviehbetrieben sollten auf das Risiko der MRSA-Besiedlung hinweisen, wenn sie als Patienten Kontakt zu Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens haben. Das Vorhandensein von MRSA in Rohmilch unterstreicht die Empfehlung, Rohmilch nicht ohne vorherige Erhitzung zu verzehren.

Key words

Staphylococcus aureus - methicillin-resistance - bulk tank milk - organic - monitoring

Schlüsselwörter

Staphylococcus aureus - Methicillin-Resistenz - Tankmilch - ökologisch - Monitoring


Publication History

Received: 31 October 2022

Accepted: 04 December 2022

Article published online:
25 May 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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