Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying the new mecC gene--a meta-analysis.

In 2011, a new mecA gene homolog, named mecC gene, was found in isolates from both humans and animals. The discovery of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carrying the mecC gene has caused speculations about the origin, epidemiology, and impact of these isolates. The objective of this work is to perform a meta-analysis on the prevalence of mecC MRSA, based on previously published results. Meta-analysis showed that the overall pooled prevalence is 0.009% (95% confidence interval=0.05-0.013) and that there was evidence of heterogeneity (P<0.01, I(2)=97%). In conclusion, the very low reported prevalence provides an important baseline to monitor the epidemiology of this emerging form of MRSA.