MRSA from animals??

MedSurgeMess · Jun 22, 2009

I guess it's possible, animals and humans have shared many illnesses for years. But it's scary to think one of my precious baby dogs could hurt someone!

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jun 22, 2009

I guess it's possible, animals and humans have shared many illnesses for years. But it's scary to think one of my precious baby dogs could hurt someone!

i know i thought of the same thing about my kitty. i just can't picture it .. my lydia kitty wouldn't do that!! when i first became a nurse 25 years ago, you never heard of animal to human tranmission . i always heard their DNA was so different it couldn't happen .. but that was wrong, look at HIV , Ebola, swine flu ( which isn't swine anymore..lol) and other's ... so it is possible !! i thought it was interesting !!!

Katnip, RN · Jun 22, 2009

It's not as uncommon as you would think. During an infection control conference we spent a good amount of time going over cases where a patient tested positive for MRSA in the hospital, got cleared, went home and developed it again. Turns out their pets were tested and found to be carrying it. I don't know who first thought to test pets, but they were thinking outside the box on that.

Jolie, BSN · Jun 22, 2009

There's an article in the June, 2009 isue of RN magazine about MRSA which indicates that in the UK, up to 10% of veterinary staff are colonized. The occurance of MRSA in companion animals is unknown, but one small study revealed colonization in up to 10% of dogs and 15% of healthy cats. Another study revealed a pet therapy dog in the hospital picked up MRSA on its fur.

morte, LPN, LVN · Jun 22, 2009

nearly 30 years ago, they knew that strep could be carried by dogs.....