Single Clone of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1-Producing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patients / 대한임상미생물학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Six babies infected with Staphylococcus aureus occurred in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over a period of 2 months, which was successfully controlled with the aid of moleculartyping of the isolates. METHODS: We examined the staphylococcal toxins, mecA and tst gene PCR, and repetitive-element PCR (rep-PCR) typing in S. aureus isolated from the clinical specimens of infected babies, nasal swabs of the patients and medical personnels in a NICU, and environmental equipments. RESULTS: Among all S. aureus isolates tested, they were toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1)- producing methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) who have mecA and tst gene, and one identical rep- PCR pattern all, except 3 MRSA isolated from the nasal swabs of 2 non-infected patients and 1 medical personnel. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that TSST-1 producing MRSA became epidemic in the NICU as a result of the spread of a single clone.