Abstract
Current methods for differentiating isolates of predominant lineages of pathogenic bacteria often do not provide sufficient resolution to define precise relationships. Here, we describe a high-throughput genomics approach that provides a high-resolution view of the epidemiology and microevolution of a dominant strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This approach reveals the global geographic structure within the lineage, its intercontinental transmission through four decades, and the potential to trace person-to-person transmission within a hospital environment. The ability to interrogate and resolve bacterial populations is applicable to a range of infectious diseases, as well as microbial ecology.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Asia / epidemiology
-
Bacterial Typing Techniques
-
Cross Infection / epidemiology
-
Cross Infection / microbiology*
-
Cross Infection / transmission
-
Europe / epidemiology
-
Evolution, Molecular
-
Genome, Bacterial*
-
Genomics / methods
-
Humans
-
Likelihood Functions
-
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification*
-
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
-
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
-
Molecular Epidemiology
-
Molecular Sequence Data
-
Phylogeny
-
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
-
Sequence Analysis, DNA
-
South America / epidemiology
-
Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
-
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
-
Staphylococcal Infections / transmission
-
Time Factors
-
United States / epidemiology