MRSA Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about MRSA, including details on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Detection and molecular characterization of a gentamicin-susceptible, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clone in Rio de Janeiro that resembles the New York/Japanese clone.

Melo MC, Silva-Carvalho MC, Ferreira RL, Coelho LR, Souza RR, Gobbi CN, Rozenbaum R, Solari CA, Ferreira-Carvalho BT, Figueiredo AM

Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-590, Brazil.

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections in many countries, and multiple factors contribute to the ability of these bacteria to disseminate and spread in hospitals. In Brazil it has been demonstrated that a multiresistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus clone, the so-called Brazilian epidemic clone, is widespread geographically. This clone was first detected in 1992 in Brazil, and recently from many other countries within South America, Europe and Asia. The study describes the detection of a gentamicin-susceptible heterogeneous MRSA clone that resembles another MRSA clone widely spread in US and Japanese hospitals, and supports the premise that the detection of heterogeneous MRSA isolates by some recommended methods is a challenging task that may, occasionally, result in MRSA misidentification.

Published 26 November 2004 in J Hosp Infect, 58(4): 276-85.
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