title: DNA sequence-based tandem repeat analysis of the clfB gene is less discriminatory than spa typing for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a major challenge for hospital hygiene. Typing by DNA sequence analysis of the repeat region of the protein A gene (spa) significantly improved typing of MRSA in the hospital setting. However, microevolution of spa repeats in epidemic clones appears to occur at a fairly slow clock rate. Therefore, DNA sequence-based methods providing additional resolution are desirable in some situations. We evaluated the use of the clfB repeat region proposed recently by others as a possible complementation to spa typing. Using epidemic MRSA isolates from two German university hospitals, we show that the clfB repeat region does not offer any additional discriminatory power.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harmsen
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000235:genetics*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; C434058:clfB protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D008712:Methicillin