Transatlantic spread of the USA300 clone of MRSA.

To the Editor: The emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of great concern.1,2 USA300, the predominant epidemic clone in numerous outbreaks in closed communities in the United States,2 is also increasingly seen in Europe.3 International travel and the increasing trend of training or working abroad among health care workers probably contribute to its global spread. We describe the transfer of community-acquired MRSA from the United States to Europe and its successful eradication. A 41-year-old healthy Swiss physician performed a clinical fellowship in the United States from July 2001 to June 2003. Three months before his departure, nasal . . .