Livestock Contact and MRSA in Rural Areas

Background:

- MRSA is a type of bacteria that causes serious health problems. It can cause severe infections and is difficult to treat. MRSA has been found in a high number of people who work with some kinds of livestock, such as pigs. Researchers want to study people in rural areas, where more people work with or around livestock. They want to see if MRSA is more common or causes more serious infections in these areas.

Objectives:

- To look at the relationship between livestock handling (especially pigs) and MRSA bacteria in people in rural areas.

Eligibility:

* Participants in the Agricultural Health Study in Iowa, including those who are exposed to livestock. * Healthy volunteers who are not exposed to livestock.

Design:

* This study requires an initial visit and monthly follow-up surveys for 18 months. * At the first visit, participants will have throat and nose swabs to collect cell and bacteria samples. They will also complete a questionnaire about their health habits. Other questions will ask about any work that brings them into contact with livestock like cows, pigs, or chickens. * Every month for the next 17 months, participants will complete another questionnaire to record any changes in their health and livestock contact information. They will also collect throat and nose swabs. They will send the questionnaires and the swabs to the study researchers. * Participants will be paid for the first visit and for every monthly survey and swab collection they return. * No treatment will be given as part of this protocol.

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Key information

Conditions

Staphylococcus Aureus Infection Bacterial Infections Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections Infections Staphylococcal Infections

Age range

6 month–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Iowa

Coralville, Iowa, 52241, United States

About this study

The goal of this study is to understand the epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus, including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), outside of the hospital environment. Our objective is to characterize the epidemiology of S. aureus in the rural community, focusing on persons who have contact with livestock. We will achieve this by carrying out two parallel prospective cohort studies in Iowa, examining 1) individuals enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study, including those who raise swine; and 2) a matched population-based group with no livestock exposure. We will partner with the state s microbiological diagnostic laboratories in order to collect isolates from the symptomatic S. aureus infections. Our central hypothesis is that individuals working in close proximity to livestock and poultry are at risk of occupational exposure to MRSA. We further hypothesize that farmers in contact with livestock (swine in particular) will be more likely to be colonized with swine-associated S. aureus strains than are individuals without contact. Finally, we expect to see both typical human strains of S. aureus (including USA300) as well as animal-associated strains (such as ST398) causing infections in Iowans. Our rationale is that successful completion will provide opportunities to institute an early warning system to evaluate emerging S. aureus strains, allowing for potential interventions prior to widespread dissemination in the human population. We will test our central hypothesis and accomplish the objective of this application by pursuing the following specific aims:

Establish the prevalence, molecular subtypes, and antibiotic resistance profiles of S. aureus in populations of rural Iowans, and determine risk factors for colonization. We hypothesize that individuals in contact with swine will be more likely to carry MRSA than individuals lacking such exposure; that swine workers will more frequently be colonized with swine-associated strains such as ST398; and that S. aureus isolates collected from livestock farmers will more frequently demonstrate resistance to antibiotics including methicillin and tetracyclines than isolates collected from individuals lacking livestock exposure.
Determine the incidence and molecular epidemiology of symptomatic S. aureus infections in rural Iowans. We hypothesize that symptomatic infections will be uncommon in our cohort relative to colonization, and that the majority of such infections will be skin and soft tissue infections. We further hypothesize that the majority of infections in our cohorts and elsewhere in the state will be caused by common strains (including USA300), but that some infections will also be caused by animal-associated strains, including ST398.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Cohort A: Participant or child of participant in the Agricultural Health Study
Cohort B: Resident of Iowa

Exclusion criteria

Cohort A: Age <8 months
Cohort B: Age <8 months

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Epidemiology of MRSA in AHS cohort

Time frame: ongoing

Establish the prevalence, molecular subtypes, and antibiotic resistance profiles of S. aureus in populations of rural Iowans, and determine risk factors for colonization.
Epidemiology of MRSA in matched, population-based non-AHS group

Time frame: ongoing

Determine the incidence and molecular epidemiology of symptomatic S. aureus infections in rural Iowans.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Epidemiology of Rural MRSA : Is Livestock Contact a Risk Factor?

Important dates

Study start: 2011
Primary completion: 2016
Study completion: 2020
First posted: Jun 17, 2011
Registry last updated: May 22, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed