Meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) associated dolphin mortality and the subsequent facility decolonisation protocol

Abstract

This case reports the presence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a colony of cetaceans maintained under human care. MRSA isolates of the same strain were cultured from multiple organs of two dolphins that died with septicaemia. Following these mortalities and in consideration of the zoonotic potential of this pathogen, a decolonisation protocol was developed and applied to reduce the risk of exposure to humans and animals. After monitoring for MRSA presence in the animals, environment and staff, a strict sanitation protocol was applied for 15 months, with the aim of controlling MRSA. This protocol reduced the incidence of this pathogen and its involvement in acute clinical cases. The transmission between cetaceans and the implication of human reservoirs are discussed as important issues for veterinarians, facility managers and public health officials.

Death Associated to Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST8 Infection in Two Dolphins Maintained Under Human Care, Italy

“…After few months in the rehabilitation center the calf was considered unreleasable and moved to a permanent institution where it was subsequently introduced to the 5 common bottlenose dolphins ( T. truncatus ) resident group. Housing condition has been already reported by Gili et al ( 7 ). During its permanence in the pool the animal on different occasions showed clinical signs, including leukocytosis, gastric discomfort, persistent regurgitation, bilateral blepharospasm, and photophobia, that required pharmacological intervention several times along the years with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs.…”

“…Necropsy on the common dolphin revealed several hemorrhagic and edematous findings observed on pleural and peritoneal serosa and on the epicardium which suggested an acute endotoxic shock, along with a megakaryocytes embolism observed in pulmonary vessels ( 7 ).…”

“…In this regards, Monecke et al ( 4 ) reported a wide variety of MRSA lineages in German, Austrian and Swedish wildlife even if resistance rates in these strains were rather low. Nevertheless, it has rarely been described in marine mammals ( 4 – 7 ). MRSA has been occasionally reported in free-ranging Atlantic bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) ( 8 – 10 ), in gray seal ( Halichoerus grypus ), harbor seal ( Phoca vitulina ), and Southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina ) ( 11 ) and in short-finned pilot whales ( Globicephala macrorhynchus ) ( 12 ), although it was also isolated at the necropsy of a bottlenose dolphin maintained under human care ( 6 ).…”

A Protocol for the Ethical Assessment of Wild Animal–Visitor Interactions (AVIP) Evaluating Animal Welfare, Education, and Conservation Outcomes

“…In this phase, an exhaustive list of potential biological and physical hazards was created. The list of the zoonotic agents to be included was based on scientific reports of diseases in species involved in AVIs [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

“… [ 37 , 38 , 39 ] Salmonellosis Salmonella enterica [ 40 , 41 ] E. coli infections Escherichia coli [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ] Campylobacteriosis Campylobacter spp. [ 46 ] Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium muris [ 47 , 48 ] Listeriosis Listeria monocytogenes [ 49 ] Yersiniosis Yersinaia enterocolitica [ 49 ] Antimicrobial-Resistant bacteria MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ), ESBL (Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases) [ 45 , 50 , 51 , 52 ] Dermatophytosis Trichophyton spp. [ 53 ] …”