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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Comparison of genotypes of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in Finland
S Ibrahem1, S Salmenlinna, A-M Kerttula
1Department of Microbiology, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract:
The frequency of horizontal transfer of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus is unknown. In order to gain more information regarding this frequency in Finland, the genotypes of 299 clinical methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolates were compared to representatives of 24 epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus genotypes. Sixty-eight percent of the methicillin-sensitive isolates had a genotype similar to eight of the epidemic methicillin-resistant strains. The remaining isolates (32%) showed 22 different genotypes. The results indicate that, in Finland, several methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus genotypes may have acquired the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec.
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