title: Isolation of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in healthy carriers in a Mexican community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) clones are spreading rapidly among the population in many regions worldwide. Little information is available on CA-MRSA in Mexico. The aim of this study was to identify CA-MRSA strains in the nose and throat of healthy people in a Mexican community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 131 MRSA strains from the nose and throat obtained from healthy people in Mexico City were characterized. The genes mecA, lukS-PV/lukF-PV, and ACME-arcA were detected by PCR. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and spa typing were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bacteria that had a Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive gene and SCCmec type IV or V were designated as CA-MRSA strains. We found that 21.4% of MRSA strains were CA-MRSA and that the percentage of CA-MRSA strains was similar in the nose and the throat. A great diversity of profiles was found in the strains identified by PFGE pattern and spa typing. Only one strain similar to the USA300 genotype was found; this strain carried the ACME-arcA gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CA-MRSA strains were detected in the nose and throat of healthy people. We identified a high level of genetic diversity among CA-MRSA strains in healthy people of Mexico City, which were different from the USA and pandemic clone profiles.
authors.affiliation: Departamento Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamdan-Partida
authors.affiliation: Departamento Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Teresita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sainz-Espuñes
authors.affiliation: Departamento Atención a la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Calz. del Hueso 1100, 04960, Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: jbustos@correo.xoc.uam.mx.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bustos-Martínez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012574:Schools; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
keywords: CA-MRSA; Healthy carriers; Mexican community; Nose; Throat