1. ¹Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
2. ²National Reference Centre for Staphylococci (NCS), Robert-Koch-Institute, Wernigerode Branch, Wernigerode, Germany
3. ³Institute of Hygiene, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
4. ⁴Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Robert-Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany

Correspondence: Dr Uta Jappe, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51–59, D-63225 Langen, Germany. E-mail: japut@pei.de

Received 1 August 2007; Revised 28 March 2008; Accepted 2 April 2008; Published online 3 July 2008.

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) emerged as a community-associated pathogen (CA-MRSA) in the past 6 years. This prospective study investigated dermatology outpatients with inflammatory skin diseases, leg ulcers, and skin infections for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive S. aureus, often associated with deep skin infection. In case of PVL positivity, molecular typing and PCR demonstration of resistance genes were performed. Out of 248 patients, 130 carried S. aureus, 24 being lukS-PV lukF-PV positive. Eighteen were MRSA, 11 of them belonging to the multilocus sequence typing clonal complex (CC)5, 1 to CC45, and 2/18 to CC8. Out of 18 patients, 4 were CA-MRSA containing lukS-PV lukF-PV as an important trait of CA-MRSA. Out of four CA-MRSA isolates, two were of type ST080 containing far-1 coding for fusidic acid (FUS) resistance and two were FUS sensitive (ST152 and ST001). The FUS-sensitive CA-MRSA, which corresponded to the CA-MRSA of ST001 from the United States, was detected in Germany for the first time, indicating that dermatologists are first in line to detect CA-MRSA. In contrast to CA-MRSA from other continents, far-1-coded FUS resistance represents a typical marker for the widespread CA-MRSA ST080 in Europe, especially in Germany. The significant risk factor for the acquisition of CA-MRSA was visits to foreign countries and/or professional or private contacts with foreigners.

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