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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Singapore: a further six cases

L Y Hsu1, T H Koh, T Y Tan

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608. liyang_hsu@yahoo.com

Singapore Medical Journal
|January 7, 2006
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are increasing in Singapore. Molecular typing identified local CA-MRSA strains, including an emerging predominant clone.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical microbiology
  • Infectious diseases
  • Molecular epidemiology

Background:

  • Describes clinical features and molecular epidemiology of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections.
  • Focuses on recent cases in Singapore, highlighting an increasing trend.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the clinical presentations of CA-MRSA infections.
  • To determine the molecular epidemiology of CA-MRSA isolates in Singapore.
  • To compare local isolates with international strains.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of six CA-MRSA infection cases (April-October 2004).
  • Testing for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes.
  • Molecular typing: pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, SCCmec, and multi-locus sequence typing.

Main Results:

  • Cases included cutaneous abscesses, chronic osteomyelitis, and endocarditis.
  • PVL genes were absent in osteomyelitis and endocarditis isolates.
  • Identified local strains related to the Oceanian and Taiwanese clones; one novel sequence type found.

Conclusions:

  • CA-MRSA, while uncommon, is increasingly detected in Singapore.
  • An emerging predominant local clone, ST30-MRSA-IV (Oceanian clone), is identified.

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