Epidemiological and microbiological analysis of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from a Japanese hospital

Jpn J Infect Dis. 2012;65(2):175-8.

Abstract

Reports of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections have recently increased in Japan; however, these studies contain limited information on their epidemiology. We performed a single-center study in the Tokyo Medical University Hospital located in Shinjuku, a central area of Tokyo, Japan. From 2,099 MRSA isolates obtained during July 2007 to March 2009, we selected 44 MRSA isolates with a MIC of <2 μg/mL for imipenem. Among 44 isolates, 28 strains had type IV or type V SCCmec, and we classified them as CA-MRSA. We identified only 1 Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive MRSA strain, which belonged to SCCmec type V. The PVL-positive CA-MRSA strain was isolated from a patient with multiple subcutaneous abscesses. The patient had returned to Japan from India; thus, the strain may have been contracted from outside of Japan. Thirteen (46.4%) and 15 strains (53.6%) were isolated from outpatients and inpatients, respectively. The major sites of infection included the respiratory tract (8 strains, 28.6%), skin/soft tissue (4 strains, 14.3%), and nasal cavity (4 strains, 14.3%). It is important to note that the most common site of CA-MRSA infection in inpatients was the respiratory tract; respiratory infections with CA-MRSA frequently cause severe infectious diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology*
  • Exotoxins / genetics
  • Female
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genotype
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Imipenem / pharmacology
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Leukocidins / genetics
  • Male
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Typing
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Tokyo
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Exotoxins
  • Leukocidins
  • Panton-Valentine leukocidin
  • Imipenem