Distribution of the Serine-Aspartate Repeat Protein-Encoding sdr Genes among Nasal-Carriage and Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Strains

Abstract
The sdr locus was found in all 497 investigated Staphylococcus aureus strains, although in 29 strains it contained only the sdrC gene ( sdrD negative, sdrE negative). The sdrC -positive, sdrD -negative, sdrE -negative gene profile was exclusive to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains (Fisher's exact test; P = 0.0005) and was not found in the strains collected from bone infections ( P = 0.0019). We also found a strong association between the presence of the sdrD gene and methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains ( P < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that MSSA strains with the newly uncovered sdrC -positive, sdrD -negative, sdrE -negative gene profile have a substantially decreased potential to establish bone infection.

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