[Molecular and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Studies at a...

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-strains, isolated from 1994 to 1997 from patients of the traumatic surgery hospital Tübingen, were compared using lysotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Both typing methods detected two clones causing an outbreak 1994 in 6 patients and a third endemic clone of MRSA, which was isolated from 5 patients (1995), 4 patients (1996), and 6 patients (1997). Additionally other MRSA-types were found in 6 cases of which transmissions occurred in up to three patients. An epidemiological connection to MRSA isolated from patients of the university hospital of Tübingen was made. Possible consequences for patient management and antibiotic strategies in MRSA-infections were discussed.