Example of population analysis profile curves for vancomycin-susceptible and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strains. Example of population analysis profile curves for vancomycin-susceptible and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strains. The in vivo evolution of the resistant phenotype is depicted with a shift in the PAP curve to the right, with SmaI-digested pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns being identical for paired isolates from the same patient. (Adapted from reference 121.) Benjamin P. Howden et al. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 2010; doi:10.1128/CMR.00042-09