Genomic comparisons of USA300 Staphylococcus aureus colonizating the nose and rectum of children with skin abscesses

USA300 Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for the current outbreak of skin abscesses in the United States. Unlike other USA types, USA300 colonizes the rectum at rates higher than the nose. The reason for the difference in colonization site preference may be related to specific adherence or attachment factors contained in the genome of these strains. Additional knowledge in this field may help design novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to combat staphylococcal infections. Strains of USA300 MSSA and MRSA colonizing the nose and/or rectum from children with staphylococcal skin abscesses were compared by whole genome array technology to identify bacterial genetic determinants associated with site-specific colonization. Strains isolated from different colonization sites were indistinguishable by genomic content. Site-specific colonization traits were not detected in the colonizing bacteria by this array. Either host characteristics associated with staphylococcal carriage or under represented bacterial genomic constructions need to be examined to determine the etiology of this site-specific colonization.