Influence of molecular characteristics in the prognosis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infections: beyond the species and the antibiogram

We have explored the relationship of phenotypic (antibiogram, β-haemolysis, agr functionality, biofilm formation) and genotypic characteristics on the prognosis of 18 cases of methicillin-resistant S. aureus prosthetic joint infection (2005–2015). All isolates belonged to CC5, and had agr type II. This pilot study suggests that phage-borne genes belonging to the immune evasion cluster ( chp , sak and scn ) were more frequent among episodes with treatment failure (80.0 vs. 37.5%).