Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of Staphylococcus aureus.

MLST is a widely accepted method of sequence-based typing that relies on analysis of relatively conserved genes that encode essential proteins. For Staphylococcus aureus the level of discrimination provided by MLST is sufficient to provide a relatively detailed picture of the global dissemination of the pathogen. The method is not restrictive in the precise methodology used to acquire the sequences, but the method of assigning types requires that the data be of high quality. Excellent web-based tools have been developed and are curated by the groups that launched MLST. These tools have allowed the scheme to be maintained as a coherent global asset and assist users in the analysis of their data.