mecA-related structure in methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci from street food in Taiwan

Antibiotic-resistant patterns, a mecA homologue complex, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) were analysed in samples of ready-to-eat (RTE) street food in Taiwan. RTE food samples (270) were collected in three densely populated Taiwanese cities between June and November 2014. Among 14 strains being identified as methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS), genetic diversities was determined by PFGE analysis. SCCmec types IV, V, VIII and TXG-24 were detected in 9, and mecASs (a mecA homologue) detected in 8. The mecASs gene complex from S. sciuri subsp. sciuri TXG-24 was found to be closely related to those found in both S. sciuri subsp. sciuri (ATCC29062) and S. sciuri subsp. rodentium (ATCC700061). SCCmecTXG24 carries a class A mec complex, a ccrA5B3-like gene complex, a heavy metal gene complex, and an IS1216 mobile element carrying tet(S). Matching identity to ccrA5 was 84.5% for ccrA in S. pseudintermedius KM241. Matching identify to ccrB3 was 92.1% for ccrB in S. pseudintermedius AI16. Similar ccrA and SCCmec boundary sequences suggest that SCCmec is easily transmitted to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Based on MRCoNS strains identified in this research, Taiwanese RTE food products likely carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes that can be transmitted to hospitals and other clinical settings.