**6. MRSA prevention and control in animals**

All studies on animal MRSA have helped establish critical measures for its control. Numerous reports on MRSA control in humans have been published and many of the principles may also be applied to control in animals. However, caution is necessary for extrapolating these human guidelines to animals, as disease epidemiology can differ significantly (Leonard & Markey, 2008).

It has been observed that exposure to antimicrobials is a risk factor for the acquisition and dissemination of MRSA in humans and also most probably in animals. In this respect, strategies for prevention and management of MRSA in animals should be, as much as possible, related to the use of antimicrobials. If the antimicrobial treatment is necessary in individual cases for the sake of animal welfare, the risk of the emergence of wider resistance in MRSA strains colonizing animals needs to be managed, especially considering zoonotic aspects. Options to manage this risk include the non-use of antimicrobials except as a last resort strategy, decolonization in humans, isolation of animals during treatment, and monitoring the effects of treatment in strain resistance through selective culture and susceptibility tests (CATRY et al., 2010).

### **6.1 General preventive and control measures**

Good hygiene is an important general preventive and control measure, both in homes and human and animal healthcare environments, because environmental contamination with MRSA acts as a reservoir for infection. Known MRSA-positive animals should be nursed apart from other animals, with strict washing of the hands, gloves and gowns if in close contact. Recording the history of contact with human or animal MRSA, as well as an early culture of a wound non-responsive to first-line therapy allows for earlier recognition of MRSA and its appropriate management. Furthermore, when faced with repeated and inexplicable failure of human decolonization, clinicians can investigate nearby exposure to animals and birds that could be the reservoirs (Morgan, 2008).

Below, are some precolonized specific measures cited from (Catry et al., 2010).
