Open AccessMethicillin‐resistant S taphylococcus aureus from N orthwest marine and freshwater recreational beaches
Author(s) -
LevinEdens Emily,
Soge Olusegun O.,
No David,
Stiffarm Amy,
Meschke J. Scott,
Roberts Marilyn C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01229.x
Subject(s) - sccmec , multilocus sequence typing , biology , staphylococcus aureus , veterinary medicine , pulsed field gel electrophoresis , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , typing , antibiotic resistance , staphylococcal infections , antibiotics , bacteria , gene , genotype , genetics , medicine
The aim of the study was to determine the spatial distribution of methicillin‐resistant S taphylococcus aureus ( MRSA ) at two marine and one freshwater recreational beaches in the S eattle area. Fifty‐six marine water, 144 freshwater, and 96 sand samples were collected from J une through A ugust 2010. Isolates were biochemically verified as MRSA . Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec ( SCC mec ) typing, multilocus sequence typing ( MLST ), pulse field gel electrophoresis and the presence of other antibiotic resistance genes were determined. Twenty‐two freshwater (15.3%; n = 144), one dry sand (1.9%; n = 53), six wet sand (14%; n = 43), and two marine water samples (3.6%; n = 56) were MRSA positive. Of the 27 freshwater stream sites sampled multiple times, 37% of the sites were positive for MRSA and/or S. aureus ≥ 2 times. Twenty‐one (67.7%) of 31 MRSA were SCC mec type IV , 15 (48.4%) of the isolates had MLST types not previously associated with humans, and 29 (93.5%) of the isolates carried other antibiotic resistance genes. This study is the first to report and characterize repeated MRSA ‐positive samples from freshwater drainages and creeks surrounding popular recreational beaches.