The aim of this study was to determine the presence and persistence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in milk, farm environment, and farmers on 22 dairy cattle farms in Korea during 2008–2009. Genetic relatedness among the MRSA isolates was also investigated. Of 1146 samples examined, 35 of 559 (6.3%) quarter milk samples from 371 cows, four of 86 (4.7%) hand and nose samples from 43 farmers, and 6 of 501 (1.2%) farm environment samples were MRSA positive. Except for three isolates, all MRSA were classified into ST72-spa t324-SCCmec IV with PVL negative, the most predominant clonal type among community-associated MRSA in South Korea. All 35 MRSA-positive milk samples from 19 cows were obtained from a single farm (Farm G) out of 22 (4.5%) farms tested. The farm G was revisited 1 year later and milk samples were collected for examination of MRSA again. Two of six previous MRSA-positive cattle that had been kept on the farm still harbored MRSA genetically identical to MRSA strains, which were isolated from the same farm a year ago. The results of this study provide the evidence of transmission of MRSA among cattle, farm environment, and farmers and also long-term persistence of MRSA in animals.
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