Workpackage 1: Project IP9

Title of the project: Transmission of MRSA with animal origin to humans based on population analysis of the relevant clonal lineages and on prospective epidemiological studies

Research main focus: Molecular epidemiology, population genetics, prospective epidemiology

Contact IP9

Mr. Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Wolfgang Witte (principle investigator)
Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch
Burgstraße 37
D–38855 Wernigerode

Telefon +49 3943-679-246
Telefax +49 3943-679-207 
E-Mail: wittew[aet]rki.de

Other Contactpersons:

Dr. Christiane Cuny
Robert Koch Institute
Wernigerode Branch
Telefon +49 3943 679246
E-Mail: cunych[aet]rki.de

Dr. Tim Eckmanns
Robert Koch Institute
Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Surveillance Unit
Telefon +49 30 18754 3485
E-Mail: eckmannst[aet]rki.de

Dr. Julia Hermes
Robert Koch Institute
Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Telefon +49 30 18754 3807
E-Mail: HermesJ[aet]rki.de

Description

The project is aimed to provide robust data on transmission of livestock associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) to humans exposed to animals (farmers, veterinarians), further transmission to their non exposed contact persons and to humans in the community.

Cases of infections with MRSA exhibiting genomic characteristics typical for MRSA of animal origin and becoming apparent by sending in for typing to the National Reference Centre for staphylococci of will be traced back for association with animal husbandry. Cohorts of MRSA-positive farmers and veterinarians (including their families) from all over Germany and a control group will be established in order to study dynamics, risk factors for and clinical significance of colonization with MRSA.

Besides background data on epidemiological origin and on risk factors the study is based on comparative molecular typing and characterization of isolates of different human and animal origin. Starting from high throughput molecular typing by means of DNA-sequence polymorphisms of a key maker (spa gene) an analysis of the population structure within particular clonal lineages of interest based on genome wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP’s) will be performed in order to detect subpopulations emerging in humans and in other animals hosts besides their original predominant animal reservoir. SNP’s will be used subsequently for the design of molecular markers for host adapted variants by high throughput detection methods.

In order to assess the significance of resistance to zinc ions exhibited by a substantial proportion of LA-MRSA 398 the prevalence of the corresponding resistance determinant(s) in MRSA of different clonal lineages and from different clinical sources (humans and animals) will be investigated.