title: Distinct genotypic clusters of heterogeneously and homogeneously methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a Greek hospital.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated over a one-year period from a Greek hospital were tested for their levels of resistance to methicillin by population analysis. Heterogeneously resistant strains belonged to classes I, II, and II/III, whereas homogeneously resistant ones belonged to class IV. Strains of all classes possessed the mecA gene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of Smal-digested genomic DNA revealed that all heterogeneously resistant strains were also closely related, but in a cluster distinct from the heterogeneous one. The methicillin-sensitive strains displayed a greater variety of PFGE types compared to MRSA isolates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Tassios
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vatopoulos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xanthaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mainas
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Goering
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Legakis
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins