[Multiclonality of methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a university hospital].
OBJECTIVE
The methicillin resistance of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA is a major problem for human infections. The authors present a genotypic study of these bacteria to understand the spreading of these strains in a university hospital.


METHODS
We collected 19 strains of MRSA (September 2003-March 2004) for which the presence of gene mecA had been confirmed by PCR. They were then genotyped in pulsed-field Gel electrophoresis (CHEF variety).


RESULTS
Resistant strains accounted for 12.9% of all collected S. aureus strains. Most samples came from patients hospitalized or consulting in dermatology. Eleven different antibiotypes and four genotypic profiles were determined: type A (with 8 subtypes), type B (with 2 subtypes), type C, and D.


CONCLUSIONS
MRSA strains have a multiclonal distribution in our hospital with a dominant endemic clone in the dermatological unit. Skin infections are the main hospital source for these strains.
Ben Saida
N
N
Laboratoire de microbiologie et d'immunologie, UR 16/02, CHU F. Hached, avenue Ibn-Jazzar, 4000 Sousse, Tunisia.
Ben Abdallah
H
H
Hannachi
N
N
Boukadida
J
J
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002999:Clone Cells; D003880:Dermatology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005838:Genotype; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus