Tracing the Spread of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Southern Blot Hybridization Using Gene-Specific Probes of mec and Tn554

Barry N. Kreiswirth, Suzanne M. Lutwick, Edward K. Chapnick, Jeremy D. Gradon, Larry I. Lutwick, Douglas V. Sepkowitz, William Eisner, Michael H. Levi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a community hospital in Brooklyn, New York, over a 3-year period, 79 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from five different case clusters were subtyped by Southern blot hybridization with two previously characterized gene probes, mec and Tn554. Together, the genotyping enabled the hospital infection control team to differentiate simultaneous MRSA clusters in the surgical intensive care unit (type I:A) and the open heart unit (type II:J), document the spread of one strain (type I:A) between roommates, identify an endemic strain (type II:J) from cardiac monitors and medical personnel, and identify an unrelated outbreak strain (type II:NH) in the labor and delivery unit. On the basis of this investigation it is clear that the routine DNA fingerprinting of MRSA in health care facilities, to monitor their spread and identify cases of nosocomial infections, is an important infection control measure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)307-313
Number of pages7
JournalMicrobial Drug Resistance
Volume1
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology
  • Microbiology (medical)

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