Routine typing of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was initiated in Austria 2005 and was performed by sequence analysis of the variable X region of protein A gene (spa), characterisation of the mec gene (SCCmec) and testing for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin and the epidermolytic toxin genes.