Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant and Susceptible Staphylococcal Isolates from Oral Cavity of Dental Patients and Staff in Northern Japan

Abstract

The acquisition of drug resistance and virulence by staphylococcal species colonizing humans is a growing public health concern. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genetic characteristics of Staphylococcus isolates from the oral cavity and skin (hand) of systemically healthy subjects with dental disease and dental staff in northern Japan. Among a total of 133 subjects (91 patients and 42 staff), 87 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (83 S. aureus/4 S. argenteus) and 162 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolates were recovered from 59 (44.4%) and 95 (71.4%) subjects, respectively. Three oral isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (3.6%, 3/83) that were genotyped as ST8-SCCmec-IVl, ST4775(CC1)-SCCmec-IVa and ST6562(CC8)-SCCmec-IVa. Remarkably, the ST6562 isolate harbored PVL genes on ΦSa2usa and type I ACME (arginine catabolic mobile element). Four methicillin-susceptible isolates were identified as S. argenteus belonging to ST1223 and ST2250, which harbored enterotoxin genes egc-2 and sey, respectively. Among the fourteen CoNS species identified, methicillin-resistant (MR) isolates were detected in five species (11 isolates, 13.3% of CoNS), with S. saprophyticus and S. haemolyticus being the most common. ACME was prevalent in only S. epidermidis and S. capitis. These findings indicated the potential distribution of USA300 clone-like MRSA, toxigenic S. argenteus and MR-CoNS in the oral cavity of dental patients.

Acute osteomyelitis/septic pulmonary embolism associated with familial infections caused by PVL-positive ST6562 MRSA-IVa, a presumptive variant of USA300 clone

“…Before the present MRSA was isolated in 2021, we first identified ST6562 in MRSA colonizing the oral cavity of a 66-year-old female in 2020 [6] and subsequently identified it in an isolate from the skin of the hand of an 18-year-old male in 2021 [7] , also in Hokkaido, Japan. These colonizing ST6562 belonged to the same genotypes ( spa -t1188/ coa -IIIa/SCC mec -IVa) as the isolates presented in this report, while having PVL genes and ACME type I as seen in the USA300 clone [2] ; moreover, the former isolate harbored resistance genes aph(3′)-IIIa and msrA .…”

Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in the Nasotracheal Cavities of White Stork Nestlings (Ciconia ciconia) in Spain: Genetic Diversity, Resistomes and Virulence Factors

“…Concerning the MSSA-ST26, this lineage has rarely been reported in previous studies. However, worthy to mention is the detection of MSSA-ST26- blaZ -positive strains from human oral samples in Japan [ 40 ]. Hence, these CCs need to be monitored to fully understand their evolution in the One Health ecosystem.…”

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Peninsular Malaysian Animal Handlers: Molecular Profile, Antimicrobial Resistance, Immune Evasion Cluster and Genotypic Categorization

“…Thus, the prevalence of AMR in S. aureus from animal sources in Malaysia should be monitored closely. Nonetheless, most of the S. aureus samples were generally susceptible to the tested antibiotics and lacked virulence factors, suggesting the isolates were of less pathogenic significance to humans [ 40 ].…”