title: Parallel Epidemics of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Infection in North and South America.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) epidemic in the United States is attributed to the spread of the USA300 clone. An epidemic of CA-MRSA closely related to USA300 has occurred in northern South America (USA300 Latin-American variant, USA300-LV). Using phylogenomic analysis, we aimed to understand the relationships between these 2 epidemics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sequenced the genomes of 51 MRSA clinical isolates collected between 1999 and 2012 from the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Phylogenetic analysis was used to infer the relationships and times since the divergence of the major clades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phylogenetic analyses revealed 2 dominant clades that segregated by geographical region, had a putative common ancestor in 1975, and originated in 1989, in North America, and in 1985, in South America. Emergence of these parallel epidemics coincides with the independent acquisition of the arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) in North American isolates and a novel copper and mercury resistance (COMER) mobile element in South American isolates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reveal the existence of 2 parallel USA300 epidemics that shared a recent common ancestor. The simultaneous rapid dissemination of these 2 epidemic clades suggests the presence of shared, potentially convergent adaptations that enhance fitness and ability to spread.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Planet
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Sergios-Orestis
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kolokotronis
authors.affiliation: Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History.
authors.forename: Apurva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narechania
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jinnethe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Galen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rincon
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panesso
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons.
authors.forename: Chanelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Dylan P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Centro Médico Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzman
authors.affiliation: Hospital Vozandes, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Jeannete
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zurita
authors.affiliation: Genome Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sebra
authors.affiliation: Genome Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City.
authors.forename: Gintaras
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deikus
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Rathel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.affiliation: Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California.
authors.forename: Fred C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Tenover
authors.affiliation: The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Weinstock
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
authors.forename: D Ashley
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, International Center for Microbial Genomics, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Cesar A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Arias
mesh_terms: D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D058872:Epidemics; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D058974:Phylogeography; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: MRSA; USA300; USA300-LV; epidemics