Open Access

Table I.

Univariable analysis of associations between MRSA infection status (i.e. MRSA case and MSSA control) in 181 dogs and cats and attributes of their clinical history (based on available medical records) during the 6 months prior to sample submission, using animal as the unit of analysis and veterinary practice as a random effect. For variables with two categories the p-value is provided where as for variables with more than two categories an overall p-value based on a Wald-test is provided.

Variable level MRSA n (%) MSSA n (%) OR 95% CI p-value Overall p-value
Species
  Dogs 70 (70.71) 47 (57.32) Ref.
  Cat 29 (29.29) 35 (42.68) 0.5 0.20–1.23 0.131
Sex
  Female 49 (49.50) 37 (45.12) Ref.
  Male 50 (50.50) 45 (54.88) 0.83 0.35–1.98 0.67
Age in years
  < 2 22 (23.91) 21 (26.58) Ref. 0.749
  2 to 5 26 (28.26) 17 (21.52) 1.07 0.28–4.16 0.919
  5 to 9 20 (21.74) 23 (29.11) 0.6 0.16–2.31 0.455
  > 9 24 (26.09) 18 (22.78) 1.19 0.31–4.59 0.798
Body weight
  < 15 kg 39 (43.33) 44 (58.67) Ref.
  > 15 kg 51 (56.67) 31 (41.33) 2.03 0.81–5.08 0.13
Number of visits to veterinary practice*
  Once 8 (8.16) 16 (19.51) Ref. 0.126
  2 to 4 29 (29.59) 26 (31.71) 2.73 0.69–10.87 0.154
  > 5 61 (62.25) 40 (48.78) 3.79 1.05–13.75 0.043
Number of days admitted to veterinary practice
  None 8 (8.08) 30 (36.58) Ref. 0.001
  1 28 (28.28) 38 (46.34) 3.82 0.96–15.30 0.058
  > 1 63 (63.64) 14 (17.07) 35.41 6.04–207.55 0.001
Number of antimicrobial courses
  None 8 (8.09) 25 (30.49) Ref. 0.01
  1 31 (31.31) 24 (29.27) 6.06 1.50–24.50 0.011
  2 30 (30.30) 23 (28.05) 5.37 1.34–21.52 0.018
  > 3 30 (30.30) 10 (12.20) 19.75 3.41–114.44 0.001
Topical antimicrobial therapy
  No 65 (65.66) 58 (70.73) Ref.
  Yes 34 (34.34) 24 (29.27) 1.53 0.57–4.09 0.394
Systemic glucocorticoid therapy
  Yes 16 (16.16) 17 (20.73) Ref.
  No 83 (83.84) 65 (79.27) 1.23 0.40–3.75 0.722
Surgical implant
  No 71 (71.72) 80 (97.56) Ref.
  Yes 28 (28.28) 2 (2.44) 49.4 4.38–556.60 0.002
Duration of infection*
  < 2 months 72 (72.73) 48 (58.54) Ref.
  > 2 months 27 (27.27) 34 (41.46) 0.45 0.17–1.19 0.106
Concurrent chronic disease*
  No 61 (61.62) 38 (46.34) Ref.
  Yes 38 (38.38) 44 (53.66) 0.36 0.12–1.01 0.053

Ref.: reference category; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval.

* Number of visits to veterinary practice: number of outpatient visits in 6 months prior to swab; Duration of infection: duration of clinical signs compatible with infection at sampling site; Concurrent chronic disease: chronic non-communicable conditions not associated with MRSA or MSSA infection. These included, but were not limited to endocrinopathy, heart disease, degenerative joint disease.