title: Molecular identification and characterization of mannitol-negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: We report on the isolation, molecular identification, and characterization of 5 mannitol-negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from clinical samples in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. Identification based on phenotypic testing and polymerase chain reaction detection of the S. aureus species-specific nuc gene and the coagulase gene indicated that the mannitol-negative isolates were S. aureus. Furthermore, they were mecA positive, and SCCmec typing demonstrated that all the isolates harbored type IV SCCmec. API STAPH (Biomerieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) misidentified 2 mannitol-negative MRSA that belonged to the major clone in KZN province, as Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Although the prevalence and mechanism of mannitol-negative MRSA is unknown, laboratories are encouraged to investigate S. aureus with atypical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus), Private Bag X54001, Durban, Republic of South Africa. bayo_shittu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Adebayo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shittu
authors.forename: Johnson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003030:Coagulase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008353:Mannitol / Q000378:metabolism*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013019:South Africa; D013045:Species Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003030:Coagulase; C074002:nuc protein, staphylococcus; D008353:Mannitol; D004720:Endonucleases; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease