IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION WITH MRSA IN CATTLE FARMS

Staphylococcus aureus is an important hospital- and community-associated pathogen that can cause a wide variety of infectious diseases. Eighty two (34 %) Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from the different samples collected from randomly selected cattle and buffaloes farms in Kalubia governorate. The positive isolates tested against 4 antibiotics (Oxacillin, cefoxitin, amoxicillin clavulanic acid and ampicillin sulbactam) used in the study area, showed twenty one out of 82 (25.6%) to be resistant. PCR was also used to detect the gene mecA in 8 (38%) of the 21 MRSA. The highest % of mec A gene was recorded from soil samples, the highest % of positive MRSA S.aureus was recorded from hand swab samples (40%) ,soil samples(33.3%). The farm environment mainly soil and hand swabs unhygienic management procedures potentiate the survival of S. aureus ( MRSA- S. aureus) and expression of mec A gene form rectal swab and soil samples.