Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates from South Africa (Original Articles) (Report‪)‬

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium frequently implicated in a variety of infectious processes ranging from relatively benign skin infections to life-threatening systemic illnesses. The organism possesses several properties that contribute to its ability to cause serious disease, including the production of toxins. Since S. aureus is a significant cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections, the rising rates of antibiotic resistance that have been noted globally are of concern. Methicillin resistance in S. aureus is primarily due to the expression of penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a/ PBP2') which is encoded by the mecA gene of the mobile staphylococcal chromosomal cassette (SCCmec). Several SCCmec types exist that may encode resistance genes to other antibiotics as well. In addition to hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (HA-MRSA), community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) has increasingly been found to cause severe disease.