Current trends in Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Argentina

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections have become a major concern worldwide. Different from hospital-acquired MRSA, CA-MRSA usually is staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec) type IV, carries genes for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and is susceptible to several non ß-lactam antibiotics. The epidemic of CA- MRSA is evolving. A specific clone that is initially propagating and causing CA-MRSA infections can be displaced by a more successful one. In Argentina, previous studies have identified sequence type 5 (ST5), SCCmec IV, spa type 311 as the predominant CA-MRSA clone causing infections and colonizing children.