AUTHOR=Shittu Adebayo Osagie , Layer-Nicolaou Franziska , Strommenger Birgit , Nguyen Minh-Thu , Bletz Stefan , Mellmann Alexander , Schaumburg Frieder 

TITLE=First Report of a Methicillin-Resistant, High-Level Mupirocin-Resistant Staphylococcus argenteus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.860163

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.860163

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>We describe the identification of a methicillin-resistant, high-level mupirocin-resistant <italic>Staphylococcus argenteus</italic>. The isolate (1801221) was characterized as t6675-ST2250-SCC<italic>mec</italic>IVc, and whole-genome sequencing revealed that the isolate possessed two plasmids. One plasmid (34,870 bp), designated p1_1801221 with <italic>rep23</italic>, harboured the mupirocin resistance (<italic>mupA</italic>) gene. The second plasmid (20,644 bp), assigned as p2_1801221 with <italic>rep5a</italic> and <italic>rep16</italic>, carried the resistance determinants for penicillin (<italic>blaZ</italic>) and cadmium (<italic>cadD</italic>). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate clustered with the European ST2250 lineage. The overall high similarity of both plasmids in <italic>S. argenteus</italic> with published DNA sequences of <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> plasmids strongly suggests an interspecies transfer. The pathogenic potential, community and nosocomial spread, and acquisition of antibiotic resistance gene determinants, including the <italic>mupA</italic> gene by <italic>S. argenteus</italic>, highlight its clinical significance and the need for its correct identification.</p>