Novel Type of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec Identified in Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains

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Abstract
We identified a new type of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ) from two community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The novel element, designated type IV SCC mec , had a unique combination of the class B mec gene complex and the type 2 ccr gene complex and was much smaller in size (21 to 24 kb) than previously identified SCC mec elements of hospital-acquired MRSA. Consistent with the strains' susceptibilities to various non-β-lactam antibiotics, the type IV SCC mec was devoid of any antibiotic resistance genes other than the mecA gene.