title: Molecular epidemiology and characterisation of MRSA isolates from Trinidad and Tobago.
abstract: Eighty methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from three hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago were collected and genotyped using microarray hybridisation. They were found to belong to three distinct MRSA strains. Of the 80 isolates, 76 were assigned to ST239-MRSA-III. They were largely homogeneous, although some variations affected the presence of the enterotoxin A gene, as well as of resistance markers (mercury resistance operon, aadD, tet(K), qacA). The mupA gene conferring mupirocin resistance was found in 7.3% of isolates. One isolate was identified as CC5-MRSA-II and three isolates belonged to the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive ST8-MRSA-IV strain USA300. While community-acquired MRSA strains are rare in Trinidad and Tobago, the vast majority of MRSA cases can be attributed to healthcare-associated strains. Thus, infection control procedures within medical facilities need to be revised and enforced. This could substantially reduce the burden of MRSA to healthcare in Trinidad and Tobago.
authors: Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany. monecke@rocketmail.com
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Monecke
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Nitschke
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Slickers
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Ehricht
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Swanston
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Manjunath
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Roberts
authors: P E
authors: PE
authors: Akpaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology