Health workers are aware that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be transferred from person to person; they might be less aware of the risks posed to animals by human transmission, and might not know that animals can transfer the pathogen to humans.

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, health professionals will convene a day-long symposium to explore the human and animal health threats posed by this emerging health problem.

Presenters at the symposium will describe this pathogen and other methicillin-resistant Staphylococci, as well as offer a summary of their epidemiology and their impact on humans and animals. The symposium is targeted to both human health professionals and animal health professionals. This "One Health, One Medicine" approach to studying this pathogens offers a broader understanding of the impact of the diseases in the human health setting as well as veterinary setting.

The two featured keynote speakers are Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM, recognized internationally for his work on MRSA in animals, and Paul Morley, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of clinical sciences at Colorado State University. Weese will provide a worldwide MRSA update; Morley will describe handling MRSA cases to decrease the risk of diseases transmission in veterinary settings