Wild mice in and around the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, are carriers of Clostridium difficile but not ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp. or MRSA

10Citations
Citations of this article
24Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Mice in buildings are a hygiene hazard because they harbour several zoonoses and animal diseases. The aim of this study was to gather information on specific bacteria in house mice caught in the urban environment. Mice caught in snap traps during pest control activities were collected in and around the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, during May-June 2014, October-November 2015 and September-November 2016. The gut contents were analysed for ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp., and Clostridium difficile and the buccal cavities were swabbed for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). In total, 109 house mice (Mus musculus) and 22 wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were examined. One mouse was found positive for Enterobacter spp. Salmonella spp. and MRSA were not found. Of n = 80 mice, 35·0% carried C. difficile (ribotypes in descending order of frequency: 014/020, 258, 002, 005, 013, 056, 081 and two unknown ribotypes). In conclusion, mouse droppings are a hazard for transmission of C. difficile to humans and their environment. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study shows that mice in buildings can carry Clostridium difficile ribotypes that are associated with clinical disease in humans. Whether the mice are the source or whether they picked up these bacteria from the human environment has not been investigated. Either way, mouse droppings in the indoor environment are a hazard for transmission of C. difficile to humans.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Burt, S. A., Meijer, K., Burggraaff, P., Kamerich, W. S., & Harmanus, C. (2018). Wild mice in and around the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, are carriers of Clostridium difficile but not ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp. or MRSA. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 67(5), 513–519. https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.13066

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free