A case of familial transmission of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying the lnu(A) gene in Santa Fe city, Argentina

Abstract

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is increasingly recognized as an important pathogen causing skin and soft tissue infections as well as necrotizing pneumonia. We describe a case of familial transmission of CA-MRSA between a 6-month-old boy and his mother in Santa Fe City, Argentina. Both isolates showed an identical antimicrobial susceptibility profile, carried type IV SCCmec and harboured the pvl and the lnu(A) genes. Isolates showed indistinguishable SmaI-PFGE patterns confirming their genetic relationship. These results corroborate the intrafamilial transmission of CA-MRSA and might associate this strain with the repetitive events of furunculosis within the family.