British scientists have found a new strain of the “superbug” MRSA in milk from cows and in swab samples from humans.
Researchers said the find was “worrying” but added it was unlikely that the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bug, which is resistant to some antibiotics, could cause infections by getting into the food chain via milk. Pasteurization of milk is expected to prevent any risk of infection via the food chain, said Laura Garcia- Alvarez, who worked on the Cambridge University research team.
The team found that the new MRSA strain was resistant to some drugs, like normal MRSA, but it was also impossible to identify using standard molecular tests.
Scientists also found that the new strain was also present in human samples from Scotland, England and Denmark. Researchers said it is not known for certain whether the cows are infecting people or vice versa.
