Diversity of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec structures in @entity3256 -resistant @entity5938 and XXXX strains among outpatients from four countries.

@entity3256 @entity5939 @entity794 @entity5938
In staphylococci, @entity3256 ( @entity3256 ) resistance (MR) is mediated by the acquisition of the mecA gene, which is carried on the size and composition variable staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). MR has been extensively studied in @entity794 , but little is known about MR coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS). Here, we describe the diversity of SCCmec structures in MR-CoNS from outpatients living in countries with contrasting environments: Algeria, Mali, Moldova, and Cambodia. Their MR-CoNS nasal carriage rates were 29, 17, 11, and 31%, respectively. Ninety-six MR-CoNS strains, comprising 75 (78%) @entity5938 strains, 19 (20%) @entity5939 strains, 1 (1%) @entity794 hominis strain, and 1 (1%) @entity794 cohnii strain, were analyzed. Eighteen different SCCmec types were observed, with 28 identified as type IV (29%), 25 as type V (26%), and 1 as type III (1%). Fifteen strains (44%) were untypeable for their SCCmec. Thirty-four percent of MR-CoNS strains contained multiple ccr copies. Type IV and V SCCmec were preferentially associated with @entity5938 and @entity5939 , respectively. MR-CoNS constitute a widespread and highly diversified MR reservoir in the community.
