title: [Molecular study of 6 episodes of nosocomial infections produced by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus].
abstract: A critical step in any epidemiologic research concerning nosocomial infections is the precise identification of the responsible pathogen. The present work utilized a molecular approach -plasmids identification, restriction length polymorphism DNA analysis, and random amplified polymorphic DNA- for the characterization of 6 nosocomial outbreaks due to 52 strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In these episodes, the clinic-epidemiologic and phenotypic analysis (antibiotype) pointed to a nosocomial infection. Through molecular analysis it was possible to establish, in a very precise way, clonality due to MRSA strains in 2 of the studied outbreaks; the same type of analysis allowed to eliminate a MRSA clonal origin in the remainder 4 episodes. The antibiogram was not an useful analytic tool due to its poor discriminatory power. Also, through a PCR procedure, it was possible to identify the presence of the gen mecA in every of the 52 MRSA strains studied.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Microbiología Clínica CEDIUC, Facultad de Medicina, P Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaltwasser
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rioseco
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fasce
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montiel
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes
vernacular_title: Estudio molecular de 6 episodios de infección intrahospitalaria causados por Staphylococcus aureus meticilino-resistente.