title: Characteristics of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) Strains Isolated from Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections in Uruguay.
abstract: We analyzed 90 nonduplicates community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) strains isolated from skin and soft-tissue infections. All strains were mecA positive. Twenty-four of the 90 strains showed inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance. All strains produced alpha-toxin; 96% and 100% of them displayed positive results for lukS-F and cna genes, respectively. Eigthy-five strains expressed capsular polysaccharide serotype 8. Six different pulsotypes were discriminated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and three predominant groups of CA-MRSA strains (1, 2, and 4) were identified, in agreement with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Strains of group 1 (pulsotype A, CP8+, and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)+) were the most frequently recovered and exhibited a PFGE band pattern identical to other CA-MRSA strains previously isolated in Uruguay and Brazil. Three years after the first local CA-MRSA report, these strains are still producing skin and soft-tissue infections demonstrating the stability over time of this community-associated emerging pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Institute of Hygiene, School of Medicine, Universidad de la República, Alfredo Navarro, 3051 Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pardo
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mollerach
authors.forename: María Inés
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Lorena P N
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Tuchscherr
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gadea
authors.forename: Noella
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gardella
authors.forename: Daniel O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Sordelli
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vola
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schelotto
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varela