Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (LA-MRSA) CC398: An Emerging Infectious Disease

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is a pathogenic bacterial strain that can infect livestock, pets and humans. LA-MRSA was identified for the first time in 2005 where the new MRSA clone of sequence type 398 (ST398) was grouped and identified in the clone complex 398 (CC398). Cases of LA-MRSA CC398 infection began to be reported frequently in the next few years. From 2000 onwards, case reports of LA-MRSA CC398 infection are becoming more frequent. LA-MRSA CC398 transmission to the host is generally mediated by physical contact with livestock, but also through contaminated dust. LA-MRSA CC398 has the same virulence potential as Staphylococcus aureus found in humans and is generally associated with the same clinical features. Rapid detection of LA-MRSA examination can be done with a nasal swab, it is very important to adequately identify individuals who have been infected with LA-MRSA and molecular detection of LA-MRSA CC398 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Several other antibiotics such as linezolid, telavancin, daptomycin, tedizoid, dalbavancin, oritavancin, ceftobiprole, and ceftaroline have been developed and approved for the treatment of the LA-MRSA CC398 infection. Interventions that need to be done to prevent transmission and infection of LA-MRSA CC398 include screening, isolation of contacts, hand hygiene, cohorts, and decolonization as additional standard precautions.