APRIL 25, 2022

Spillover of Resistance Genes to Wildlife

By IDSE News Staff

For the first time, a highly transmissible strain of the antibiotic-resistant superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), currently plaguing hospitals in northern Europe, has been isolated from hedgehogs in Helsinki, according to a poster presented at ECCMID 2022 (poster L0124).

The findings suggest a spillover of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria and genes to urban wildlife, which should be monitored closely to limit the global emergence of novel