title: Rapid detection of the pandemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone ST 239, a dominant strain in Asian hospitals.
abstract: We describe and validate a novel PCR assay to detect the pandemic hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) lineage ST 239. Results based on previously uncharacterized isolates from a hospital in northeast Thailand support the view that at least 90% of HA-MRSA isolates in mainland Asia correspond to ST 239 or close relatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom. e.feil@bath.ac.uk
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Feil
authors.forename: Emma K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Nickerson
authors.forename: Narisara
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chantratita
authors.forename: Vanaporn
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wuthiekanun
authors.forename: Pramot
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Srisomang
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cousins
authors.forename: Wubin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Banglao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Nicholas P J
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Sharon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Peacock
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013997:Time Factors