Characterization of epidemic and nonepidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains in a university hospital in northeast Germany

The aim of this study was to analyze methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus a ureus strains isolated during a 1-year period by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, resistance phenotyping and determination of biochemical fe atures. Eight different resistance phenotypes with the predominant resistan ce type Pen Oxa Cip (penicillin, oxacillin, ciprofloxacin) were observed. N one of the strains tested exhibited decreased susceptibility to vancomycin, but two strains were resistant to mupirocin. Genetic relatedness of methic illin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates could be shown for two outbr eaks, one of which was caused by a clone with an epidemic potential concern ing duration of colonization/infection of patients and dissemination of the strains in the hospital.