Abstract

To determine the predominant staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec element in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, we typed 190 isolates from a hospital in Taiwan. We found a shift from type IV to type III SCCmec element during 1992–2003, perhaps caused by selective pressure from indiscriminate use of antimicrobial drugs.

Highlights

  • The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which accounts for as much as 80% of all S. aureus isolates causing nosocomial infections in Taiwanese hospitals since 1998, has greatly affected infection control and medical treatment in Taiwan [1]

  • We demonstrate that the predominant MRSA clone at National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) in early 1990s had the type IV SCCmec element

  • The predominant MRSA clones at NTUH from 1994 to 2003 had the type III SCCmec element. These findings differ from those of Wisplinghoff et al, who reported that that the SCCmec element in predominant MRSA clones at their institute changed from type III in 1984 to 1988 to type I in 1989 to 1998 [6]

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Summary

Introduction

The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which accounts for as much as 80% of all S. aureus isolates causing nosocomial infections in Taiwanese hospitals since 1998, has greatly affected infection control and medical treatment in Taiwan [1]. Longitudinal studies of SCCmec elements in nosocomial MRSA isolates in a hospital have seldom been reported [6]. We analyzed SCCmec elements in predominant nosocomial MRSA clones at

Results
Conclusion

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