ST93-Queensland community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone in France: outbreak in a scout camp and sporadic cases, July to August 2012.

ST93-Queensland community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone in France: outbreak in a scout camp and sporadic cases, July to August 2012. We describe the occurrence in France of a Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ST93 clone, a predominant community-acquired (CA)-MRSA in Australia. In July to August 2012, an outbreak in a scout camp (n=3) and sporadic cases (n=2) of skin and soft tissue infections were reported. Investigations suggested importation of the clone through travel and onward transmission. This illustrates the epidemic potential of this lineage and the role of travellers in the spread of PVL-positive CA-MRSA. We describe here the occurrence of sequence type (ST) 93-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in France, which led to an outbreak and sporadic cases of skin and soft tissue infections, and the investigation led by public health authorities. Cases were defined as persons with a skin and soft tissue infection (e.g. furuncle or carbuncle) due to an ST93 S. aureus strain. The outbreak, comprising three participants of a senior scout camp, occurred in July 2012, in Belfort, in northeastern France. Case 1 (index case), a 25 year-old man, director of the camp, developed furunculosis on the forehead, neck and leg at the beginning of July after being bitten by mosquitoes. He attended the opening of the camp on 11 July and was hospitalised two days later as the lesions had turned into abscesses. He remained in hospital until 17 July. The carbuncles were treated locally and with systemic clindamycin (600 mg three times a day). He did not return to the camp after his hospital stay. Case 2, an 18 year-old, developed multiple skin abscesses on his arm three days after his arrival at the camp on 11 July. He was hospitalised from 16 to 19 July and returned to the camp. He was given local treatment for the abscesses, systemic clindamycin (600 mg three times a day). Case 3, a 16 year-old, who had also arrived at the camp on 11 July, developed two lesions on his arm on 18 July. After consulting his doctor, he was given only local therapy and returned to the camp. A few weeks later, he developed new lesions and he received clindamycin (600 mg three times a day). All three cases were given information on good hygiene practices. Two additional cases were also identified elsewhere in France in July and August 2012, in the south and east-central …