Novel staphylococcal cassette chromosome composite island (SCC-CI) with a new subtype of SCCmecVI cassette found in ST5 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in France

ABSTRACT An emergent kanamycin-susceptible ST5 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lineage has been identified in France. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 40-kb staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) composite island with a mosaic structure including three SCC elements: a ΨSCC cop/ars , a SCC Lim88A with a ccr C recombinase, and a novel subtype of SCC mec type VI (VIb). This mosaic structure suggests a high recombination rate of SCC elements from distinct staphylococci species.