The RM test for determining methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lineages.

Staphylococcus aureus lineages evolve independently and differ in hundreds of genes. Identification of lineages can be useful for epidemiological typing and infection control at the local or global level, and can also be useful when investigating differences in pathogenesis between strains. MLST (multilocus sequence typing) and spa typing (polymorphisms in the protein A gene) are useful methods for identifying lineages but can be time-consuming and expensive.

Staphylococcus aureus host specificity: comparative genomics of human versus animal isolates by multi-strain microarray.

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal and pathogen of several mammalian species, particularly humans and cattle. We aimed to (i) identify S. aureus genes associated with host specificity, (ii) determine the relatedness of human and animal isolates, and (iii) identify whether human and animal isolates typically exchanged mobile genetic elements encoding virulence and resistance genes.

First report of multiresistant, mecA-positive Staphylococcus intermedius in Europe: 12 cases from a veterinary dermatology referral clinic in Germany.

Resistance to cephalosporins and/or fluoroquinolones by Staphylococcus intermedius has remained low in Europe, with effective drugs generally available for systemic therapy in pets. However, multiresistant, mecA-positive S. intermedius isolated from dogs and cats is now emerging in Europe.

Staphylococcus aureus strains that are hypersusceptible to resistance gene transfer from enterococci.

We identified naturally occurring Staphylococcus aureus mutants of the restriction modification pathway SauI, including bovine lineage ST151. In a model of vancomycin resistance transfer from Enterococcus faecalis, ST151 isolates are 500 times more susceptible than human S. aureus isolates.

Accessory gene regulator locus of Staphylococcus intermedius.

The accessory gene regulator (agr) locus, a candidate system for the regulation of the production of virulence factors in Staphylococcus intermedius, has been characterized. Using PCR-based genome walking, we have obtained the first complete sequence (3,436 bp) of the accessory gene regulator (agr) gene in this organism. Sequence analysis of the agr gene has identified five open reading frames (ORFs), agrB, agrD, agrC, agrA, and hld.

Characterization of the mechanism underlying stonustoxin-mediated relaxant response in the rat aorta in vitro.

Stonustoxin (SNTX) is a lethal factor isolated from the venom of the stonefish Synanceja horrida. Although SNTX exhibits a multitude of biological activities, the primary cause of death upon administration of the toxin is attributed to marked hypotension. We investigated the possible mechanisms underlying the vascular hyporeactivity of this novel toxin.