Are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that produce Panton–Valentine leucocidin (PVL) found among residents of care homes?
Objectives: Panton–Valentine leucocidin (PVL)-positive Staphylococcus aureus are responsible for causing skin and soft tissue infections, with the potential to cause severe invasive disease. Recently, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains that produce PVL have emerged in the community. As residents of care homes are a key group at risk of MRSA colonization and infection, we have examined the epidemiology of MRSA in three large cohorts of residents in urban care homes to establish whether PVL-positive MRSA strains are present in this setting. Methods: Nasal swabs (n = 3037) collected from consenting residents of 69 care homes in Leeds, UK, were screened for MRSA using chromogenic agar over three periods (June–August 2005, November–December 2006 and October–November 2007). PCR amplification was used to detect genes encoding PVL. Antibiogram profile and PFGE were also used to characterize MRSA isolates (n = 601). Results: MRSA prevalence was 21%, 20% and 19% in each c
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- Are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that produce Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) found among residents of care homes?
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