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Multiplex PCR Assay for Typing of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Types I to V in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
09:03

Multiplex PCR Assay for Typing of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Types I to V in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Published on: September 5, 2013

Emergence of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type IV methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of

D Neofytos1, B Kuhn, S Shen

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. dionissios.neofytos@mail.tju.edu

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
|September 11, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV was found in 19.5% of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ventilator-associated pneumonia. No significant differences in severity or mortality were observed between SCCmec type II and type IV strains.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a serious complication in intensive care units.
  • Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types influence MRSA characteristics and epidemiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of SCCmec type IV MRSA in patients with VAP.
  • To compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of VAP patients infected with different SCCmec types.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, observational study of 41 consecutive patients with MRSA VAP.
  • Identification and typing of SCCmec in isolated MRSA strains.
  • Analysis of VAP severity and crude mortality rates.

Main Results:

  • SCCmec type IV MRSA strains were identified in 8 (19.5%) of the patients.
  • No significant differences in VAP severity were found between patients with SCCmec type II and type IV strains.
  • Crude mortality rates did not differ significantly between the two SCCmec type groups.

Conclusions:

  • SCCmec type IV MRSA is present in a notable proportion of VAP cases.
  • The SCCmec type does not appear to influence VAP severity or mortality in this cohort.
  • Further research is needed to understand the clinical implications of different SCCmec types in MRSA VAP.

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