Transferable vancomycin resistance in a community-associated MRSA lineage

Flávia Rossi1, Lorena Diaz, Aye Wollam

  • 1From the Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology of the Central Laboratory (LIM 03) and Department of Infectious Disease (LIM 54), Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo (F.R., T.S.R.D.G., A.D., D.B., I.M.H.); Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota (L.D., D.P., S.R., J.R., L.P.C., C.A.A.), and Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Medicas (CIDEIM), Cali (A.H.-R.) - both in Colombia; Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile (J.M.M.); the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases (L.D., D.P., T.T.T., J.R., J.M.M., A.H.-R., B.E.M, C.A.A.), and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (B.E.M., C.A.A.), University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and the University of Houston College of Pharmacy (T.T.T.) - both in Houston; the Genome Institute, Washington University at St. Louis, St. Louis (A.W., Y.Z., G.M.W.); and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History (A.N., P.J.P.), and Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Columbia University (G.X., P.J.P.) - both in New York.

Summary

A Brazilian patient

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within...
90
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
219
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
2.0K
Conjugation01:19

Conjugation

Conjugation is a form of horizontal gene transfer that primarily occurs in bacteria and some archaea, promoting genetic diversity and adaptation. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes through conjugative plasmids, allowing them to survive antibiotic treatments that would otherwise be lethal. This process involves direct contact between cells through specialized structures such as the sex pilus and is mediated by conjugative plasmids, including the F (fertility) factor.Conjugation requires...
3.0K
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
48.9K
Mismatch Repair01:36

Mismatch Repair

Overview
38.1K