Population genetic structuring of methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> clone EMRSA-15 within UK reflects patient referral patterns.

ABSTRACT: Antibiotic resistance forms a serious threat to the health of hospitalised patients, rendering otherwise treatable bacterial infections potentially life-threatening. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms by which resistance spreads between patients in different hospitals is required in order to design effective control strategies. We measured the differences between bacterial populations of 52 hospitals in the United Kingdom and Ireland, using whole-genome sequences from 1085 MRSA clonal complex 22 isolates collected between 1998 and 2012. The genetic differences between bacterial populations were compared with the number of patients transferred between hospitals and their regional structure. The MRSA populations within single hospitals, regions and countries were genetically distinct

SUBMITTER: Donker T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5605955 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature