Evolution and Population Dynamics of Clonal Complex 152 Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
Sharmin Baig, Anders Rhod Larsen, Patrícia Martins-Simões, Frédéric Laurent, Thor Bech Johannesen, Berit Lilje, Anne Tristan, Frieder Schaumburg, Beverly Egyir, Ivana Ćirković, Graeme R. Nimmo, Iris Spiliopoulou, Dominique Blanc, Sara Mernelius, Aina Elisabeth Fossum Moen, Michael David, Paal Skytt Andersen, Marc Stegger
Abstract
Understanding the evolution of CA-MRSA is important in light of the increasing importance of this reservoir in the dissemination of MRSA. Here, we highlight the story of the CA-MRSA CC152 lineage using whole-genome sequencing on an international collection of CC152. We show that the evolution of this lineage is novel and that antibiotic usage may have the potential to select for the phage-encoded Panton-Valentine leukocidin. The diversity of the strains correlated highly to geography, with higher level of resistance observed among the European MRSA isolates. The mobility of the SCC mec element is mandatory for the emergence of novel MRSA lineages, and we show here distinct acquisitions, one of which is linked to the successful clone found throughout Europe today.