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Characterization of SCC mec elements in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures from neonates during three decades
Author(s) -
SVENSSON KAROLINA,
HELLMARK BENGT,
SÖDERQUIST BO
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2011.02801.x
Subject(s) - staphylococcus epidermidis , sccmec , mobile genetic elements , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , staphylococcus haemolyticus , staphylococcus aureus , staphylococcus , gene , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , genetics , bacteria , genome
Svensson K, Hellmark B, Söderquist B. Characterization of SCC mec elements in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures from neonates during three decades. APMIS 2011; 119: 885–93. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients and the predominant pathogen in catheter‐related infections and bloodstream infections. Approximately 70–80% of S. epidermidis carry the mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance. The mecA gene is located on a mobile genetic element, the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ). The aim of this study was to characterize the SCC mec elements as well as the adjacent arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) in 30 clinical blood isolates of mecA positive S. epidermidis obtained from neonates and collected over a period of three decades. The ccr and mec gene complexes were identified using PCR. The SCC mec elements were found among 29/30 isolates and 13 different combinations of ccr gene complexes and mec gene complexes were identified. Staphylococcus epidermidis regularly carried multiple copies of ccr gene complexes, but only one class of mec gene complex. Three isolates could be assigned the SCC mec type III (3A). The combinations of ccr gene complexes and the mec gene complexes differed among the three decades. The most frequent combination was class B mec in combination with ccr1 and ccr2 . Staphylococcus epidermidis may constitute a large reservoir for SCC mec elements, and frequent exchange of mobile genetic elements between staphylococcal species may explain the emergence of new MRSA strains.