Rapid Detection of the Pandemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone ST 239, a Dominant Strain in Asian Hospitals
Feil EJ., Nickerson EK., Chantratita N., Wuthiekanun V., Srisomang P., Cousins R., Pan W., Zhang G., Xu B., Day NPJ., Peacock SJ.
ABSTRACT We describe and validate a novel PCR assay to detect the pandemic hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) lineage ST 239. Results based on previously uncharacterized isolates from a hospital in northeast Thailand support the view that at least 90% of HA-MRSA isolates in mainland Asia correspond to ST 239 or close relatives.