Staphylococcus Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Staphylococcus, including details on mrsa, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Comparison of genotypes of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in Finland.

Ibrahem S, Salmenlinna S, Kerttula AM, Virolainen-Julkunen A, Kuusela P, Vuopio-Varkila J

Department of Microbiology, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland.

The frequency of horizontal transfer of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus is unknown. In order to gain more information regarding this frequency in Finland, the genotypes of 299 clinical methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolates were compared to representatives of 24 epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus genotypes. Sixty-eight percent of the methicillin-sensitive isolates had a genotype similar to eight of the epidemic methicillin-resistant strains. The remaining isolates (32%) showed 22 different genotypes. The results indicate that, in Finland, several methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus genotypes may have acquired the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec.

Published 2 June 2005 in Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 24(5): 325-8.
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