Global Distribution of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin–positive Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 2006

• Main Authors: Anne Tristan, Michele Bes, Helene Meugnier, Gerard Lina, Bülent Bozdogan, Patrice Courvalin, Marie-Elisabeth Reverdy, Mark C. Enright, François Vandenesch, Jerome Etienne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2007-04-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; spa typing; toxin; antibiotic resistance; Panton-Valentine leukocidin; staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec element
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/13/4/06-1316_article

We determined the agr type, multilocus sequence type, protein A gene type (spa typing), toxin gene profile, and antimicrobial drug resistance profile of 469 isolates of Panton-Valentine leukocidin–positive community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates (PVL-positive CA-MRSA). The isolates had been collected from around the world from 1999 through 2005 by the French National Reference Center for Staphylococci. We found that some continent-specific clones described in 2003, such as clone ST8, have now spread all over the world. Likewise, some PVL-positive CA-MRSA have spread to several countries on various continents. New clones have emerged (e.g., ST377) on new genetic backgrounds. PVL-positive CA-MRSA that were usually susceptible to most antistaphylococcal antimicrobial agents have acquired new resistance determinants (e.g., to gentamicin) in certain countries. The major trait shared by all these clones is a short staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec element of type IV or V.