Evolutionary GEM: The Evolution of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Since 1961, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has evolved through both single locus gene variation and horizontal gene transfer. By the late 1970s, the emergence of new SCCmec allotypes marked the beginning of a worldwide MRSA pandemic. The continuous and rapid evolution of MRSA, in response to new antibiotics, remains a major public health issue worldwide.