Figure 4

Relationships between the MRSA as a concept (object) and determinants of the pathogen profile. This data model defines major classes of attributes for MRSA profiles (e.g., genotyping methods, virulence factors and clinical outcomes) and relationships between them. femA = gene encoding a cytoplasmic protein necessary for the expression of methicillin resistance; tst – staphylococcal toxic shock toxin gene; ent – enterotoxin gene; luk = leukocidin gene; PV = Panton-Valentine leucocidin; blaZ = beta-lactamase gene; mecA = gene encoding PBP 2a, the low binding affinity penicillin binding protein that mediates methicillin resistance; vanA, vanB, vanC = vancomycin resistance genes; erm = macrolide resistance gene; drfA = trimethoprim resistance gene; tetK = tetracycline resistance gene; ST = sequence type; SCCmec = staphylococcus cassette chromosome mec gene type; spa = staphylococcal protein A gene type (Adapted from [3]).