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We describe a novel procedure for rapid typing of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element, a molecular marker allowing discrimination between community- and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Oligonucleotides targeting the recombinase genes were type specific and used to type a collection of 399 MRSA isolates recovered during patient screening at admission. This novel assay constitutes a valuable tool for evaluating the molecular epidemiology of MRSA and adjusting infection control strategies against MRSA. Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen responsible for both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. While the first methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were reported in the early 1960s (1), endemic strains of MRSA carrying multiple resistance determinants became a worldwid