Analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by IS1181 profiling

Variation in the genomic location and copy number of the insertion element IS1181 in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was investigated. Sixty-three isolates representing the Jevons type strain (NCTC 10442), phage-propagating strains, and epidemic strains were examined. A PCR amplicon of the insertion element was used to probe genomic restriction endonuclease digests. HindIII genomic digests gave 25 distinct IS1181 patterns, while EcoRI digests gave 20 patterns. EMRSA-01, -02, -04, -06, -07, -09, -10, -11, -13 and -14 contained the element but could not be subtyped by profiling it. EMRSA-16 did not contain IS1181, consistent with a unique evolutionary origin for this major UK epidemic strain. Marked heterogeneity was observed among isolates of EMRSA-03. Each EMRSA-03 strain examined gave a unique pattern, thereby allowing subtyping of an important epidemic phage type for the purposes of hospital cross-infection control.