Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis DOI 10.1007/s10096-015-2395-9

ARTICLE

Molecular epidemiology of community-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in Israel A. Biber 1 & M. Parizade 2 & D. Taran 2 & H. Jaber 1 & E. Berla 3 & C. Rubin 4 & G. Rahav 1,5 & D. Glikman 6 & G. Regev-Yochay 1,4,5

Received: 28 February 2015 / Accepted: 27 April 2015 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Abstract Data on community-associated (CA) methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Israel are scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the major CAMRSA clones in Israel. All clinical MRSA isolates detected in the community during a period of 2.5 years (2011–2013) from individuals insured by a major health maintenance organization in Israel were collected, with additional data from medical records. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns and staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing were determined. SCCmec IV and V isolates were further typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, and detection of a panel of toxin genes. MRSA were detected in 280 patients, mostly from skin infections. Patients with SCCmec IV (n= 120, 43 %) were younger (p