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Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, SCCmec types, presence of the Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene, and susceptibility to antibiotics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from hospitalized children. Methods: From August 2009 to September 2011, 291 S. aureus strains were isolated from normally sterile body sites, of which 190 (65%) were MRSA. One hundred and two of the MRSA strains were genetically evaluated. SCCmec genotypes were identified by M-PCR and the PVL gene (pvl) by end-point PCR. Resistance to erythromycin, rifampicin, clindamycin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (SXT) was assessed by Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines of 2012. Results: Of the 102 strains evaluated, 97 (95%) were SCCmec type II, 5 (5%) were SCCmec type IVa, and all (100%) were pvl-negative. Resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, rifampicin, and SXT was 97%, 95%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of hospital-acquired MRSA was high. SCCmec type II was predominant and the pvl gene appeared not to play any role in the virulence of the MRSA strains from hospitalized children.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge Gerardo Martinez-Aguilar MD, PhD, for donating the reference strains NCTC10442, N315, 85/2082, and USA 300, and Avril Forsyth MD, for editorial services.
Declaration of interest: There is no conflict of interest. This study was supported in part by Grant FIS/IMSS/PROT/533.