title: New epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infection in Africa.
abstract: Research on African Staphylococcus aureus has been largely neglected in the past, despite the cultural and geographical diversity in Africa, which has a significant impact on the epidemiology of this pathogen. The polarity between developed urban societies and remote rural populations (e.g. Pygmies), combined with close contact with animals (e.g. livestock and domestic animals, and wildlife), makes the epidemiology of S. aureus on the African continent unique and fascinating. Here, we try to draw an epidemiological picture of S. aureus colonization and infection in Africa, and focus on the wide spread of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive isolates, the emergence of the hypervirulent methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clone USA300, and the dissemination of the typical African clone MRSA sequence type 88.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Albert Schweitzer Hospital Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schaumburg
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alabi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D012424:Rural Population; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014505:Urban Population; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Africa; Panton-Valentine leukocidin; Staphylococcus aureus; antimicrobial resistance; epidemiology; livestock; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; neglected disease; remote population; wildlife