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- Title
Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Finland.
- Authors
Salmenlinna, S.; Lyytikäinen, O.; Kotilainen, P.; Scotford, R.; Siren, E.; Vuopio-Varkila, J.
- Abstract
This study reports the recent trends in the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Finland, with special focus on characterization of the strains linked to interhospital epidemics and local outbreaks. Between 1981 and 1997, the annual number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolations ranged from 89 to 272. Of all blood isolates of Staphylococcus aureus reported to the National Infectious Disease Register during the period 1995–97 (n=2049), only six were resistant to methicillin. Between 1992 and 1997, typing analysis by various methods (i.e., antibiogram, phage typing, ribotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) identified 18 different strains capable of causing intrahospital outbreaks or interhospital epidemics. These 18 strains were separated into 13 different ribotypes and 14 major pulsed-field gel electrophoresis types. Multiresistance was investigated as a possible marker for epidemicity. Eight of the ten interhospitally spread strains were multiresistant compared to only three of the eight intrahospitally spread outbreak strains. More than one-third of the epidemic and local outbreak strains were suspected to be of foreign origin. The majority (6 of 10) of the epidemics were localized in southern and western Finland, and the largest epidemic, which occurred in the Helsinki metropolitan area, involved over 200 persons. Thus far, the epidemics have remained primarily intracity problems, and only two strains have become endemic.
- Subjects
FINLAND; STAPHYLOCOCCUS aureus; MICROCOCCACEAE; GRAM-positive bacteria; METHICILLIN resistance; DRUG resistance in microorganisms
- Publication
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 2000, Vol 19, Issue 2, p101
- ISSN
0934-9723
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s100960050438