Characterization of Staphylococcus argenteus in Christchurch, New Zealand, and comparison to global strains.

Staphylococcus argenteus (SARG) was discovered in 2009 as part of the Staphylococcus aureus (SAUR) complex and has been documented from various locations worldwide. In this article, we describe the genomic features of five strains of SARG found in Christchurch, New Zealand. Isolates were first detected in 2019 using MALDI-TOF identification, and their identities were confirmed using whole-genome sequencing. Genomic features, including antimicrobial resistance markers and virulence factors, were compared with other SARG sequences in the NCBI GenBank and well-characterized features in SAUR. Four isolates belonged to ST2250 and one isolate to ST2793. Phylogenetic analysis based on core genome analysis revealed that all five isolates were phylogenetically distinct, with four isolates clustering in the ST2250 clade. Three isolates contained staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV 2Bc, harbouring the mecA gene conferring resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. All five strains shared many of the virulence genes found in the global SARG and SAUR isolates; however, no TSST-1 or PVL pathogenic genes were detected. This publication contributes additional data on global occurrences and genomic features of SARG.