Parallel Epidemics of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Infection in North and South America.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) epidemic in the United States is attributed to the spread of the USA300 clone. An epidemic of CA-MRSA closely related to USA300 has occurred in northern South America (USA300 Latin-American variant, USA300-LV). Using phylogenomic analysis, we aimed to understand the relationships between these 2 epidemics.

Methods

We sequenced the genomes of 51 MRSA clinical isolates collected between 1999 and 2012 from the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Phylogenetic analysis was used to infer the relationships and times since the divergence of the major clades.

Results

Phylogenetic analyses revealed 2 dominant clades that segregated by geographical region, had a putative common

SUBMITTER: Planet PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4655856 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature