Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying the mecC gene: emergence in Spain and report of a fatal case of bacteraemia

Abstract

We confirm the presence of MRSA carrying the mecC gene in Spain, the ability of this livestock-associated MRSA to cause severe infections in humans and the need to perform culture-based susceptibility testing methods in order to detect these emerging strains.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Harboring mecC in Livestock in Spain

“…A retrospective study in Spain recently identified five mecC-MRSA isolates among isolates collected from one hospital between 2008 and 2013. In the same work, retrospective screening for mecC among 5,505 human S. aureus isolates received during the same period at the Spanish National Reference Centre for Staphylococci revealed two additional mecC-MRSA isolates (0.036%) (6).…”

“…The genetic backgrounds of all the MRSA isolates were investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) (6). The genetic struc-ture of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element (SCCmec) and the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) virulence factor genes (lukS-PV and lukF-PV) were also determined (2,(12)(13)(14).…”

“…Although this lineage seems to be rare (0.44% of farms tested), it is of particular public health relevance because of its zoonotic potential, its ability to cause lifethreatening disease (4,6), and our inability to detect it with standard testing procedures. This demonstration that mecC-MRSA is present in livestock in Europe, and now in Spain in particular, highlights the need for surveillance programs; the presence and evolution of mecC-MRSA in animal and environmental reservoirs need to be monitored.…”

Rapid screening of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying the mecC gene in a Portuguese hospital

“…In humans, mecC MRSA was isolated in hospital patients from Slovenia [9] , Germany [10] , Republic of Ireland [11] , Denmark [12] , Spain [13] [14] and France [15] . Garcia-Garrote et al [14] reported the first mecC MRSA fatal human case in Spain, a patient with sepsis who died in the emergency department.…”

“…Garcia-Garrote et al [14] reported the first mecC MRSA fatal human case in Spain, a patient with sepsis who died in the emergency department. In the same study mecC MRSA was reported in 6 other human cases, predominantly in skin and soft tissue infections.…”