title: Changing molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an Algerian hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of both hospital- and community-acquired infections worldwide. However, data about the molecular epidemiology of MRSA in North Africa are still scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  All MRSA isolates recovered between January 2006 and July 2011 from one Algerian hospital were genetically and phenotypically characterized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The predominance of a European community-associated-MRSA (CA-MRSA) clone (ST80-SCCmec IV-PVL positive) was revealed by this analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that a CA-MRSA clone recently invaded the hospital setting in Algiers and replaced a typical hospital-associated pandemic clone such as the Brazilian clone (ST239-SCCmec IIImercury-PVL negative).
authors.affiliation: Service of Hospital Preventive Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. patrick.basset@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Basset
authors.forename: Wahiba
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Amhis
authors.forename: Dominique S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Blanc
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010641:Phenotype; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*