Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis clones: evidence of geographic dissemination.
Denmark and Iceland are countries where the frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is very low due to strict infection control and restrictive antibiotic use policies. In contrast, methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) continues to be isolated as a nosocomial pathogen. The molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of 136 MRSE isolates from five hospitals in Denmark and 94 MRSE isolates from one hospital in Iceland collected in 1997 and 1998 defined 40 different patterns. Closely related PFGE types were found in isolates recovered in Iceland, Denmark, Mexico, Uruguay, Greece, and Cape Verde, evidencing for the first time the geographic clonal dissemination of MRSE strains. The large majority (87.4%) of the MRSE isolates studied were multiresistant.
Miragaia
Maria
M
Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.
Couto
Isabel
I
Pereira
Sandro F F
SF
Kristinsson
Karl G
KG
Westh
Henrik
H
Jarløv
Jens O
JO
Carriço
João
J
Almeida
Jonas
J
Santos-Sanches
Ilda
I
de Lencastre
Hermínia
H
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D014943:Global Health; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial