Open AccessDissemination of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones in Northern Norway: Sequence Types 8 and 80 Predominate
Author(s) -
Anne-Merethe Hanssen,
Aina Fossum,
Jarle Mikalsen,
Dag S. Halvorsen,
Geir Bukholm,
Johanna U. Ericson Sollid
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.43.5.2118-2124.2005
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcal infections , sequence (biology) , biology , micrococcaceae , bacteria , genetics
Increasing frequencies of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain isolation have been reported from many countries. The overall prevalence of MRSA in Norway is still very low. MRSA isolates (n = 67) detected between 1995 and 2003 in northern Norway were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing. Sixty-seven isolates were associated with 13 different sequence types. Two successful MRSA clones predominated. Sequence type 8 (ST8) (40%) and ST80 (19%) containing SCCmec type IV were detected in hospitals and communities in different geographic regions during a 7-year period. In general, there was a low level of antimicrobial resistance. Only 26% of the isolates were multiresistant. International epidemic clones were detected. The frequent findings of SCCmec type IV (91%) along with heterogeneous genetic backgrounds suggest a horizontal spread of SCCmec type IV among staphylococcal strains in parallel with the clonal spread of successful MRSA strains.