Detection of new methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains that carry a novel genetic homologue and important virulence determinants

J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Oct;50(10):3374-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01121-12. Epub 2012 Jul 25.

Abstract

In this study, 18 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates harboring staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type XI, recovered in the Dutch-German Euregio, were characterized by DNA microarrays. In contrast to previous data, we found two MRSA strains of different clonal lineages possessing SCCmec XI that carried important virulence determinants. The worrisome emergence of such toxigenic MRSA strains raises concerns that MRSA strains with enhanced virulence potential and impaired detectability by standard molecular assays may spread in Europe.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / classification
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Typing
  • Netherlands / epidemiology
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Virulence Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Virulence Factors