title: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Canada.
abstract: A total of 184 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were collected from patients who sought treatment primarily for skin and soft tissue infections from January 1, 1999, to March 31, 2002, in east-central Saskatchewan, Canada. Molecular subtyping analysis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed 2 major clusters. Cluster A (n = 55) was composed of a multidrug-resistant MRSA strain associated with a long-term care facility and was similar to the previously reported nosocomial Canadian epidemic strain labeled CMRSA-2. Cluster B (n = 125) was associated with cases identified at community health centers and was indistinguishable from a community-associated (CA)-MRSA strain identified previously in the United States (USA400). Cluster B remained susceptible to a number of classes of antimicrobial agents and harbored the lukF-PV and lukS-PV toxin genes. Over 50% of both clonal groups displayed high-level resistance to mupirocin. This is the first report of the USA400 strain harboring the lukF-PV and lukS-PV toxin genes in Canada.
authors.affiliation: National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. michael_mulvey@phac-aspc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: MacDougall
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cholin
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horsman
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fidyk
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002648:Child; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005098:Exotoxins; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; C108483:leukocidin S-component protein, Staphylococcus; C074300:LukF protein, Staphylococcus aureus