Diversity of community acquired MRSA carrying the PVL gene in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Emergence and dissemination of community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strains are being reported with increasing frequency in Australia and worldwide. These strains of CA-MRSA are genetically diverse and distinct in Australia. Genotyping of CA-MRSA using eight highly-discriminatory single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is a rapid and robust method for monitoring the dissemination of these strains in the community. In this study, a SNP genotyping method was used to investigate the molecular epidemiology of 249 community acquired non-multiresistant MRSA (nm-MRSA) isolates over a 12-month period from routine diagnostic specimens. A real-time PCR for the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was also performed on these isolates. The CA-MRSA isolates were sourced from a large private laboratory in Brisbane, Australia that serves a wide geographic region encompassing Queensland and Northern New South Wales. This study identified 16 different STs and 98% of the CA-MRSA isolates were positive for the PVL gene. The most common ST was ST93 with 41% of isolates testing positive for this clone.

Panton–Valentine leukocidin-associated Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia in infants: a report of four cases and review of the literature

“…ST93 sequence type MR S. aureus was first identified in Australia in the year 2000 and has emerged to be the predominant nmMR S. aureus genotype across Australia accounting for 40-60% of nmMR S. aureus isolates in different regions [4,5,26]. Fifteen percent of all S. aureus isolates from MCH (local data) and Queensland are Fig.…”

High Genetic Diversity among Community-Associated Staphylococcus aureus in Europe: Results from a Multicenter Study

“…Previous studies have shown that USA300 is extremely widespread in the USA [8], [12], whereas CA-MRSA infections in other parts of the world are generally caused by other clones: the Southwest-Pacific clone (ST30-IVc) and the Queensland clone (ST93-IVa) [13], [14] in Australia and New Zealand; the Taiwan clone (ST59-IVa, ST59-V) and USA700 (ST72-IVc) in Asia [15], ; ST88-IV in Africa [18] and the European clone (ST80-IVc) in Europe [19]. The dominant CA-MRSA clones in different European countries have been identified [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30].…”

Molecular fingerprinting of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with osteomyelitis in Argentina and clonal distribution of the cap5(8) genes and of other selected virulence genes

“…S. aureus , in addition, has acquired over the years resistance against virtually all antimicrobial agents available and the worldwide emergence of multiresistant clones in hospitals and communities has been recognized [2]. More recently the emergence of non-multiresistant S. aureus in hospital and community settings has spurred concern [3,4]. …”