Vets have been asked by the chairman of a Dáil committee to consider taking hospital-style precautions to avoid passing the MRSA "superbug" to animals.
The chairman of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Johnny Brady TD (Meath), said yesterday that research in Britain had shown that 10 to 20 farm animals a year were found to be carrying the bug there.
A UCD veterinary college spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that its researchers had found the methicillin resistant strap aureus (MRSA) in animals tested at the college, but mainly in cats and dogs.
"We have also found it in samples from horses sent in by various practices around the State but we have had very few cases from bovines as they tend not to send their samples here," the spokeswoman said.
"The problem is that there is no funding for research into the area and we would obviously like to determine the level of infection in bovines and other animals."
She said the college would obviously like to establish the level of MRSA infection in animals, especially in the pet population.
MRSA is a bacterium which can reside on the skin or can be found in the nose of about one third of healthy individuals. It causes severe problems when it gains access to deep tissue or the bloodstream.
Mr Brady said there was a need for vets to consider using sterile gloves, scrub suits and masks during operations to protect the animals.
"The main concern is to ensure we have as few cases as possible by encouraging veterinary surgeons to adopt best practice during operating procedures.
"Unless important changes take place in the way veterinary practices perform surgery and take better care of post-operative infections, the levels of MRSA in animals will rise," he said.
The veterinary college spokesman added that vets were made aware of the dangers arising from MRSA and were being advised to take precautions, especially in small animal and equine practices.
"However, it can be more difficult in large animal practices carrying out operations on farms but they are made aware of the dangers from here and through the veterinary organisations, especially in the last year," she said.