title: Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of nasal Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a Chinese medical college campus.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection occur more commonly among persons living or working in crowded conditions, but characterization of S. aureus colonization within medical communities in China is lacking. A total of 144 (15.4%, 144/935) S. aureus isolates, including 28 (3.0%, 28/935) MRSA isolates, were recovered from the nares of 935 healthy human volunteers residing on a Chinese medical college campus. All S. aureus isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid but the majority were resistant to penicillin (96.5%), ampicillin/sulbactam (83.3%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (93.1%). 82%, (23/28) of the MRSA isolates and 66% (77/116) of the MSSA isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics, and 3 MRSA isolates were resistant to mupirocin--an agent commonly used for nasal decolonization. 16 different sequence types (STs), as well as SCCmec genes II, III, IVd, and V, were represented among MRSA isolates. We also identified, for the first time, two novel STs (ST1778 and ST1779) and 5 novel spa types for MRSA. MRSA isolates were distributed in different sporadic clones, and ST59-MRSA-VId- t437 was found within 3 MRSA isolates. Moreover, one isolate with multidrug resistance belonging to ST398-MRSA-V- t571 associated with animal infections was identified, and 3 isolates distributed in three different clones harbored PVL genes. Collectively, these data indicate a high prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage and molecular heterogeneity of S. aureus isolates among persons residing on a Chinese medical college campus. Identification of epidemic MRSA clones associated with community infection supports the need for more effective infection control measures to reduce nasal carriage and prevent dissemination of MRSA to hospitalized patients and health care workers in this community.
authors: School of Laboratory Medicine, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.
authors: Jimei
authors: J
authors: Du
authors: Chun
authors: C
authors: Chen
authors: Baixing
authors: B
authors: Ding
authors: Jinjing
authors: J
authors: Tu
authors: Zhiqiang
authors: Z
authors: Qin
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Parsons
authors: Cassandra
authors: C
authors: Salgado
authors: Qiangjun
authors: Q
authors: Cai
authors: Yulong
authors: Y
authors: Song
authors: Qiyu
authors: Q
authors: Bao
authors: Liming
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Jingye
authors: J
authors: Pan
authors: Liangxing
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Fangyou
authors: F
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial