Molecular epidemiology of the communityassociated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones: A synthetic review

Abstract

The article presents a synthetic molecular characterization of the methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus and describes the most important communityacquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) clones that circulate nowadays in the world: the main molecular and epidemiological characteristics, as well as notions related to the clinic of infections produced by these clones and their antibiotic resistance spectrum. The predominant clone of CA-MRSA in North America is USA300 - ST8-IV in North America, in Australia - Queensland (Qld) MRSA (ST93-IV), in Europe - ST80- IV, in Asia there is a high heterogeneity of clones population, in Africa the distribution of CA-MRSA clones is unclear, and in South America - USA 1100 and USA300-Latin American variant are predominant. The molecular diagnosis is performed by highly specialized institutions. The knowledge of clones allows the study of antibiotic resistance spectrum for each one, a fact of great importance for medical practice. Molecular epidemiology of the CAMRSA shows that lowly restricted sales of antibiotics in shops and pharmacies, as well as medical prescribing practices without a laboratory investigation, especially in Eastern Europe and Asia, contribute to the development of new MRSA clones with increased resistance to antibiotics.