Abstract
We collected all Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the National Children's Hospital in Costa Rica to evaluate the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Of 299 S. aureus isolates, 61% were MRSA. Most MRSA isolates (94.5%) carried SCCmec IV, and 45.6% carried Panton-Valentine leukocidin-encoding genes. The high prevalence of MRSA in this population highlights the need for improvement of antibiotic prescription and infection control measures.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Bacterial Toxins / genetics
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Child
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Child, Preschool
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Chromosomes, Bacterial
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Costa Rica / epidemiology
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DNA, Bacterial / genetics
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Exotoxins / genetics
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Genotype
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Humans
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Leukocidins / genetics
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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification*
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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
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Molecular Epidemiology
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Molecular Typing*
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Prevalence
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Prospective Studies
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Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology*
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Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
Substances
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Bacterial Toxins
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DNA, Bacterial
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Exotoxins
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Leukocidins
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Panton-Valentine leukocidin