Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Multiplex PCR Assay for Typing of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Types I to V in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Published on: September 5, 2013
[Molecular and phenotypical typification of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in a
Maribel J Castellano-González1, Armindo J Perozo-Mena, Rosana L Vivas-Vega
1Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela de Bioanálisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela. maribeljo@cantv.net.ve
Objective:
To typify by molecular and phenotypical methods, MRSA strains, isolated from patients and nurses to establish their possible clonal origin.
Materials And Methods:
50 MRSA strains isolated in a teaching hospital in Maracaibo (Venezuela) were analyzed. The typification of MRSA strains was performed by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiotyping.
Results:
In patients, 12 clusters (I-XII) and 19 antibiotypes were found; whereas in the health-care personnel, 6 clusters (I-VI) and two antbiotypes were detected. There was no statistically significative association between antibiotypes and band patterns obtained by PFGE (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
By means of detection of resistance markers and PFGE, it is feasible to discrimínate the nature of the clinical strains of MRSA. The obtained results show the possible nosocomial transmission of MRSA strains and their clonal spread in hospital departments, particularly at the ICU.
Related Concept Videos
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Rapid Identification of Pathogens
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy