Typing of SCC<i>mec</i> of MRSA clinical isolates.

Abstract

<p><i>ccr</i> genes and <i>mec</i> gene complex were identified by multiplex PCRs <a href="http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003269#ppat.1003269-Kondo1" target="_blank">[48]</a>. All isolates were <i>mecA</i> positive. SCC<i>mec</i> types, I, II, and IV were assigned by the combination of types of <i>ccr</i> gene and <i>mec</i> gene complex. Abbreviations are as follows:</p>1<p>n.a., SCC<i>mec</i> type could not be assigned from the experiments;</p>2<p>Total, total number of isolates;</p>3<p>NT, non-typed, since DNA fragment was not amplified by PCR identifying either <i>ccr</i> genes or <i>mec</i> gene complex. ‘2+5’ in <i>ccr</i> type means that both type 2 and type 5 <i>ccr</i> were identified, indicating that 48 strains (25%) carry type II SCC<i>mec</i> and SCC carrying <i>ccrC</i>. ‘2+4’ in <i>ccr</i> type indicates that 2 strains (1%) carry type II or type VIII SCC<i>mec</i>. The combination of type 2 <i>ccr</i> and class C2 <i>mec</i> gene complex suggests that it might be a novel SCC<i>mec</i> element. Since it was out of scope of this paper, we classified it in the group of not assigned.</p