Hospital superbug found in pet dogs and cats

Link: Irish Times Article

The first cases of animals becoming infected with a superbug usually acquired by humans in hospital have now been reported in the Republic. The MRSA infections have been found in up to 30 animals, mainly pet dogs. But the potentially fatal superbug has also been found in cats, horses, rabbits and even a seal. Dr Mary Booth, a lecturer in the school of science at Athlone Institute of Technology, said these were the first reports in Ireland of MRSA in animals. Dr Booth has been carrying out an analysis of the strains of MRSA found in the animals and she confirmed yesterday that a number of strains of MRSA commonly found in humans had been found in the animals. "It suggests there is some type of transmission between the two," she said.