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The increase in the number of Danes infected with MRSA bacteria continued in 2012, and the total number of those infected has almost doubled since 2009. The vast majority of people are infected outside hospitals - on family visits abroad or in the agricultural sector, for example.
Infections are on the rise among fattener pigs as well - with a marked rise from 2011 to 2012. These are some of the findings of the 2012 DANMAP report prepared by National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark and Statens Serum Institut.
In 2012, 1,556 Danes were found positive with methicillin-resistant staphylococci - MRSA. This represents an increase of 20% from 2011. In fact, the total number of cases has almost doubled since 2009. MRSA bacteria are resistant to antimicrobial agents that are essential for treatment of treating life-threatening infections in humans.
The pig-related MRSA - also known as CC398 - was identified in 232 people (164 in 2011), of whom 92 had an infection at the time of diagnosis (63 in 2011).
Increase of MRSA in pigs
In 2012, 709 pigs at abattoirs and 219 samples of tank milk from dairy cattle were also examined for MRSA.
Compared to 2011, the number of MRSA-positive pigs for slaughter has increased significantly: From 44% in 2011 to 77% in 2012. The markedly higher occurrence may be due to the fact that there are more MRSA-positive herds than previously, but this cannot be concluded definitively as MRSA can be transferred between the animals during transport.
Wednesday September 18, 2013/ National Food Institute/ Denmark.
http://www.food.dtu.dk/
