Japanese researchers said Friday that they have produced the world's first complete genetic sequencing of a bacterium which is a major source of human infection and one of the most resistant organisms in hospital-acquired infections.
The Japanese team, led by Keiichi Hiramatsu, professor of Tokyo's Juntendo University, said it reported the findings in the latest edition of the medical journal Lancet, published Friday.
The team reported it completed the gene sequence on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to understand how it causes infections in humans and to address the worsening worldwide problem of infections acquired in hospitals. Methicillin is a leading antibiotic.