[Methicillin resistant Staphyloccus aureus infection: a case report and literature review]

To report a case of infection with methicillin resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA) carrying Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) type V, and to identify the origin of the isolates.

A case of infection with MRSA carrying SCCmec type V was reported. The clinical characteristics of this patient were described. Screening for methicillin and other antibiotic resistant phenotypes by VITEK II compact was carried out. PCR was used to determine the MRSA mecA gene, and multiplex PCR assay was used for characterization of SCCmec.

The 73-year old male patient was admitted to our hospital for exfoliative dermatitis, but the condition got worse with sepsis and hospital acquired pneumonia, and finally the patient died of septic shock. The isolated Staphyloccus aureus from peripheral blood and sputum showed resistance to beta-lactams alone, and susceptible to clindamycin, intermediate to moxifloxacin and gentamicin. The isolates were confirmed to be MRSA carrying SCCmec type V.

A case of healthcare-acquired MRSA infection was identified, but the isolates also showed some characteristics of MRSA of the community origin.