Open AccessNovel Types of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec Elements Identified in Clonal Complex 398 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains
Author(s) -
Shanshuang Li,
Robert Skov,
Xia Han,
Anders Rhod Larsen,
Jesper Larsen,
Marit Sørum,
M.W.H. Wulf,
Andreas Voß,
Kazumasa Hiramatsu,
Teruyo Ito
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.01475-10
Subject(s) - sccmec , staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , chromosome , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , biology , genetics , staphylococcal infections , gene , bacteria
The structures of staphylococcal cassette chromosomemec (SCCmec ) elements carried by 31 clonal complex 398 (CC398) methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from the participants at a conference were analyzed. The SCCmec s were classified into novel types, namely, IX, X, V(5C2&5) subtype c, and IVa. Type V(5C2&5) subtype c, IX, and X SCCmec s carried genes conferring resistance to metals. The structures of SCCmec s from CC398 strains were distinct from those normally found in humans, adding to the evidence that humans are not the original host for CC398.