Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) isolates as a potential source for the emergence of USA 300 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Malaysia

We investigated the potential of USA300 MRSA emergence in Malaysia by examining 268 MSSA isolates from both community (110) and healthcare (158) settings. Nine isolates from both the environments were similar to the USA300 MRSA background based on MLST, spa and PFGE type. These results underscore the importance of continued surveillance to monitor the emergence of USA300 MRSA in Malaysia.