TY  - JOUR
A1  - Fromm, Sabine
A1  - Beisswanger, Elena
A1  - Kaebohrer, Annemarie
A1  - Tenhagen, Bernd-Alois
T1  - Risk factors for MRSA in fattening pig herds - A meta-analysis using pooled data
JF  - Preventive veterinary medicine : an international journal on research and development in veterinary epidemiology, animal disease prevention and control, and animal health economics
N2  - The importance of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) as an infectious agent for humans has increased in recent years in Germany. Although it is well known that the prevalence of MRSA in pig farms is high, risk factors for the presence of MRSA in herds of fattening pigs are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate available data from previous studies on MRSA in fattening pigs in a meta-analysis to answer the question: What are the factors associated with the occurrence of MRSA in fattening pig herds?
 The studies on MRSA in pigs that were identified by literature research were heterogeneous with respect to the risk factors investigated and the type of herds focused on. Therefore we decided to carry out a pooling analysis on herd level rather than a typical meta-analysis. Eligible herd data were identified based on the published literature and communication with the authors. The final data set covered 400 fattening pig herds from 10 different studies and 12 risk factors. The prevalence of MRSA in the 400 fattening pig herds was 53.5%.
 Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEE). The resulting multi-variate model confirmed previously identified risk factors for MRSA in pig herds (herd size and herd type). It also identified further risk factors: group treatment of fattening pigs with antimicrobial drugs (OR=1.79) and housing fattening pig herds on at least partially slatted floors (OR=2.39) compared to plain floor. In contrast, according to the model, fattening pig herds on farms keeping other livestock along with pigs were less likely to harbor MRSA (OR=0.54).
 The results underline the benefits from a pooling analysis and cooperative re-evaluation of published data. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
KW  - Fattening pigs
KW  - Swine
KW  - MRSA
KW  - Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
KW  - Risk factor
KW  - Meta-analysis
KW  - Pooling analysis
KW  - Herd size
KW  - Herd type
KW  - Antimicrobial drugs
KW  - Slatted floor
KW  - Other livestock
KW  - Zoonoses
Y1  - 2014
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.08.014
SN  - 0167-5877
SN  - 1873-1716
VL  - 117
IS  - 1
SP  - 180
EP  - 188
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -