Restriction endonuclease analysis of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid DNA from three continents.
Staphylococcus aureus isolates (n = 1201) from 20 centers in Europe, the USA and Brazil were evaluated for the presence of epidemiologic markers. Plasmid typing and restriction endonuclease analysis of plasmid DNA confirmed the presence of an apparently identical plasmid in 13% of clinical isolates. The plasmid was recovered from all 20 hospitals studied, with an overall frequency of greater than 10% on each of the three continents. Since relatively few staphylococcal plasmids may be shared by epidemiologically unrelated strains, there are inherent limitations to this otherwise useful technique. Additionally, these data demonstrate the importance of including unrelated strains of Staphylococcus aureus from the local region as controls when molecular typing methods are performed.
Doebbeling
B N
BN
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
Pfaller
M A
MA
Hollis
R J
RJ
Boyken
L D
LD
Pignatari
A C
AC
Herwaldt
L A
LA
Wenzel
R P
RP
D001938:Brazil; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D015246:Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI / Q000378:metabolism; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005060:Europe; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015246:Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII