A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Recognition of two groups of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains based on epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, hypervariable-region type, and ribotype in Finland
Authors: Salmenlinna S, Vuopio-Varkila J
Publication year: 2001
Journal: Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Journal name in source: Journal of clinical microbiology
Journal acronym: J Clin Microbiol
Volume: 39
Issue: 6
First page : 2243
Last page: 7
Number of pages: 5
ISSN: 0095-1137
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.39.6.2243-2247.2001
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that some methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are more prone to dissemination than others. We studied 72 MRSA strains, collected through nationwide MRSA surveillance in 1992 through 1999 and known to be either (i) sporadic, (ii) local outbreak strains spread within one hospital, or (iii) epidemic strains spread among hospitals, by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, hybridization of the mec hypervariable region (HVR), and ribotyping. Our results show that two main groups can be identified among these strains. The first group includes mainly nonepidemic, nonmultiresistant MRSA strains showing a specific mec HVR hybridization pattern, A, in combination with a variety of ribotypes. The other group includes multiresistant strains with mec HVR hybridization pattern B or C in association with closely related ribotype a or b. Sixty-four percent (9 of 14) of Finnish epidemic MRSA strains belong to the latter group. These findings support the existence of differences in epidemic potential among MRSA strains.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that some methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are more prone to dissemination than others. We studied 72 MRSA strains, collected through nationwide MRSA surveillance in 1992 through 1999 and known to be either (i) sporadic, (ii) local outbreak strains spread within one hospital, or (iii) epidemic strains spread among hospitals, by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, hybridization of the mec hypervariable region (HVR), and ribotyping. Our results show that two main groups can be identified among these strains. The first group includes mainly nonepidemic, nonmultiresistant MRSA strains showing a specific mec HVR hybridization pattern, A, in combination with a variety of ribotypes. The other group includes multiresistant strains with mec HVR hybridization pattern B or C in association with closely related ribotype a or b. Sixty-four percent (9 of 14) of Finnish epidemic MRSA strains belong to the latter group. These findings support the existence of differences in epidemic potential among MRSA strains.
UTU Research Portal