Oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus associated with processed food in Europe. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Quijada, Narciso M.; Hernández, Marta; Oniciuc, Elena-Alexandra; Eiros, José María; Fernández-Natal, Isabel; Wagner, Martin; Rodríguez-Lázaro, David
• Is Part Of: Food microbiology. Volume 82(2019)
• Page Start: 107
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- MRSA -- Oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus -- OS-MRSA -- Food; Food Microbiology -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Food -- Microbiology; Periodicals; Food -- Microbiology -- Periodicals; Food contamination -- Periodicals; 664.001579
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2019.01.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0740-0020

Abstract

Abstract: We report for the first time an oxacillin-susceptible mecA -positive Staphylococcus aureus (OS-MRSA) associated with a processed food product in Europe. One isolate (MRSA-ST5-type V SCC mec ) was found in cheese among 600 food samples confiscated from air passengers from international flights in Vienna Airport (Austria). Type V SCC mec strains do not harbor functional mecI-mecR1 genes and in such strains mecA expression is regulated by the bla system ( blaI-blaR1-blaZ ). It has been recently reported that malfunctions in the bla system lead to the constitutive expression of mecA . The OS-MRSA reported in this study harbored the bla system on a plasmid and one deletion occurred in the blaR1 gene causing a frameshift variant that lead to an incomplete BlaR1 protein. This finding highlights the potential role of food as a neglected route of dissemination of emerging MRSA variants. Highlights: First characterization of OS-MRSA associated with processed food products in Europe. Novel amino acid substitution identified in the transpeptidase domain of PBP2a. Description of bla system carried on a plasmid. Deletion in blaR1 gene lead to an incomplete BlaR1 protein.