Man contracts ‘animal’ MRSA

The first case of has been identified of livestock-associated MRSA in the country.

It was found in an elderly man living in a nursing home who was once a part-time cattle farmer.

Known as ST398 MRSA or “pig” MRSA, it has only been reported to sporadically cause infections in animals, but can cause serious and life threatening infections in humans. These include endocarditis (damage to the lining of the heart) and bacteraemia (bacterial bloodstream infection).