Molecular and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates of a traumatic surgery hospital from 1994 to 1997

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-strains, isolated from 1994 to 1997 from patients of the traumatic surgery hospital Tubingen, were compare d using lysotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Both typing method s detected two clones causing an outbreak 1994 in 6 patients and a third en demic clone of MRSA, which was isolated from 5 patients (1995), 4 patients (1996), and 6 patients (1997). Additionally other MRSA-types were found in 6 cases of which transmissions occurred in up to three patients. An epidemi ological connection to MRSA isolated from patients of the university hospit al of Tubingen was made. Possible consequences for patient management and a ntibiotic strategies in MRSA-infections were discussed.