Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus--Pennsylvania, 2002

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2002 Oct 11;51(40):902.

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of hospital- and community-acquired infections. Since the recognition of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in 1988, the emergence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] > or = 32 microg/mL) has been anticipated. The transfer of the genetic element containing the vanA vancomycin resistance gene from Enterococcus faecalis to S. aureus was demonstrated in the laboratory in 1992; the first clinical infection with VRSA was reported in July 2002. This report describes the second documented clinical isolate of VRSA from a patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Hexosyltransferases*
  • Humans
  • Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / genetics
  • Penicillin-Binding Proteins
  • Pennsylvania / epidemiology
  • Peptidyl Transferases*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Vancomycin Resistance* / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Penicillin-Binding Proteins
  • VanA ligase, Bacteria
  • Peptidyl Transferases
  • Hexosyltransferases
  • Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases