Characteristics of Community-Associated Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureus(CA-MRSA) Strains Isolated from Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections in Uruguay

Abstract

We analyzed 90 nonduplicates community-associated methicillin-resistantS. aureus(CA-MRSA) strains isolated from skin and soft-tissue infections. All strains weremecApositive. Twenty-four of the 90 strains showed inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance. All strains producedα-toxin; 96% and 100% of them displayed positive results forlukS-Fandcnagenes, respectively. Eigthy-five strains expressed capsular polysaccharide serotype 8. Six different pulsotypes were discriminated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and three predominant groups of CA-MRSA strains (1, 2, and 4) were identified, in agreement with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Strains of group 1 (pulsotype A, CP8+, and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)+) were the most frequently recovered and exhibited a PFGE band pattern identical to other CA-MRSA strains previously isolated in Uruguay and Brazil. Three years after the first local CA-MRSA report, these strains are still producing skin and soft-tissue infections demonstrating the stability over time of this community-associated emerging pathogen.