Detection of SCCmec types in resistant to methicillin <i>Staphylococcus spp</i>
The emerging spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. poses a significant threat to public health. The aim of the study was to determine the heterogeneity of SCCmec types in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. circulating in Belarus. 218 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus spp. obtained from different hospitals during the years of 2006-2007 were screened for the presence of genes controlling resistance to methicillin (mecA). Seventy three mec-positive strains Staphylo-coccus spp. were selected and their SCCmec types I - V were detected by multi-primer PCR. The majority of the tested MRS harbored SCCmec type III encountered in 59% of isolates. SCCmec types I, II, IV, V were revealed less frequent in 11, 11, 12, 7% of isolates, respectively. The presence of subtypes IVb and IVc but not and IVd in MRS with SCCmec type IV was detected. Four strains with unidentified subtype of SCCmecIV probably belong to newly described subtypes f, g, h. This is the first report in Belarus describing the presence of MRS with SCCmec type V (7%) that has recently been described in different countries among the community-acquired isolates of Staphylococcus spp. A high frequency of mecA positive isolates (33%) with the prevalence of SCCmec type III (59%) was detected.