Woman and Cat Shared 'Super Bug'(man woman was otherwise healthy but kept...),Health

Date:3/12/2008

man woman was otherwise healthy, but kept getting multiple, deep abscesses. Both the abscesses and nasal swabs tested positive for MRSA. Her family members -- a husband and two children -- were also tested, and they tested positive on several occasions. Nasal ointments and antiseptic washes were prescribed for the family to "decolonize" them.

The family members then tested negative for MRSA, but the woman kept testing positive. Doctors then tested the woman's three cats, and found that one, despite having no symptoms, was carrying the same strain of MRSA. Once the cat was decolonized and both the cat and woman were retreated with antibiotics, all family members -- human and feline -- tested negative for the bacteria.

Sing and his colleagues pointed out that this is the first documented MRSA infection in a cat, although there have been reports of other animals, including dogs, harboring MRSA.

Because this infection is generally community-acquired, Sing thinks it's more likely that the woman initially transmitted the bacteria to her pet, and then the animal passed the infection back to her.

"Cats are social. They like to rub up against people and it's the skin-to-skin contact that passes MRSA," explained Dr. Matthew Sims, director of the infectious disease research program at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

But, he added, "People shouldn't start worrying about having pets. They can carry all sorts of things which we've known about forever, but you don't need to get rid of your cats or other animals."

Sims said that if you suspect you might have a MRSA infection, go to your doctor for treatment and let your doctor know if you have other people or pets in your household so your doctor can recommend appropriate treatment or prevention steps for them.

The best way to prevent these infections, Sims said, is to practice good hygiene and wash your hands frequently. If you know you have a MRSA
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