TABLE 3.
Properties of mTSS S. aureus
| Property | Result(s)a |
|---|---|
| TSST-1 production | 100% positive (strains are variously called USA200, CC30, and ST36) |
| Reduced alpha-toxin | 99% have reduced or no alpha-toxin |
| Antibiotic resistance | In the U.S., 100% resistance to penicillin and ampicillin; occasional MRSA isolates are seen, and these invariably lack pigment |
| Metal resistance | 100% cadmium and arsenate |
| Plasmids | Typically not present |
| Other toxins | 99% have the enterotoxin gene cluster of 6 PTSAg genes; 100% produce beta-toxin (lack the bacteriophage that inactivates this toxin); 100% are EAR gene positive (unknown function); 15% produce SEC but not SEB |
a
MRSA, methicillin-resistant S. aureus.