title: Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis clones: evidence of geographic dissemination.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miragaia
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.forename: Sandro F F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Karl G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kristinsson
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Westh
authors.forename: Jens O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Jarløv
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carriço
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Ilda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Santos-Sanches
authors.forename: Hermínia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Lencastre
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial