Genetic relatedness of multi-resistant methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in southeast Sweden

• Background: A high exchange of patients occurs between the hospitals in southeast Sweden, resulting in a possible transmission of nosocomial pathogens. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and possible genetic relatedness of multi-resistant methicillinsusceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in the region in general, and in particular the possible persistence and transmission of the ECT-R clone (t002) showing resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin and tobramycin previously found in Östergötland County.Methods: Three groups of S. aureus isolates with different antibiotic resistance profiles, including the ECT-R profile, were collected from the three County Councils in southeast Sweden and investigated with spa typing, real-time PCR targeting the staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec right extremity junction (MREJ), and microarray.Results: All isolates with the ECT-R resistance profile (n = 12) from Östergötland County and two additional isolates with another antibiotic resistance profile were designated spa type t002, MREJ type ii, and were clustered in the same clonal cluster (CC) (i.e. CC5) by the microarray result, indicating the persistence of the ECT-R clone. In addition, 60 % of the isolates belonged to CC15 from newborns, with 94 % sharing spa type t084, indicating interhospital transmission.Conclusions: The persistence of the ECT-R clone and the possible transmission of the t084 strain indicate that there is still an insufficiency in the maintenance of basic hygiene guidelines. The ECT-R clone probably possesses mechanisms of virulence and transmission that make it so successful.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Medicinsk genetik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Medical Genetics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

MSSA

multi-resistance

genetic relatedness

t002

t084

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)