A subclass B3 metallo-β-lactamase found in Pseudomonas alcaligenes.

addition, both PVL-positive spa t034 isolates contained genes associated with hlb-converting phages, namely sak, chp and scn. Although we did not have detailed epidemiological information on all nine patients, it is notable that three of the patients in this study had recent exposure to pigs. In other settings, isolation of CC398 MRSA has been strongly associated with exposure to livestock, including pigs, poultry and calves. This association with livestock may be of particular relevance in our geographic setting, given the large rural and agricultural sector in New Zealand. To our knowledge, these cases represent the first known human isolations of CC398 MRSA in New Zealand. We found two clusters of CC398 MRSA, each with distinct characteristics. One cluster was due to a PVL-positive spa t034 ST1232 MRSA strain, which was associated with travel to South-East Asia, and the other cluster was due to a PVL-negative spa t011 or spa t571 ST398 strain, similar to the European LA-MRSA lineage. Ongoing clinical and molecular surveillance is essential to monitor the spread of these MRSA strains in our country.