ABSTRACT
A survey of 152 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from medical centers in Las Cruces, NM, and El Paso, TX, revealed the presence of spa types 2 and 24 (clone USA100) and spa type 1 (clone USA300-0114). Las Cruces MRSA displayed relatively high vancomycin MICs, and one hetero-vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strain was identified.
Subject(s)
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial , Methicillin Resistance , Staphylococcal Infections/microbiology , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Vancomycin Resistance , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Cluster Analysis , Colony Count, Microbial , DNA Fingerprinting , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field , Hospitals , Humans , Microbial Viability , New Mexico , Staphylococcus aureus/classification , Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification , Staphylococcus aureus/physiology , TexasABSTRACT
Seventy-one percent of 76 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from two medical centers in El Paso, Texas, represent three similar pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types. Overall, six pulsed-field types were identified represented by multilocus sequence/staphylococcal chromosomal cassette DNA mec (SCCmec) types: ST5-MRSA-II; ST36-MRSA-II; ST8 (untypeable SCCmec); and a newly described clonal cluster 8 strain, ST507-MRSA-IV. This study demonstrates the presence of multiple-antibiotic-resistant epidemic MRSA clones in El Paso.
