Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen that can cause many community and hospital-acquired infections. This study was conducted to investigate the SCCmec gene types responsible for methicillin resistance in MRSA isolates isolated from hospitalised patients.
Methods: MRSA isolates isolated from samples sent from various clinics to Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Application Hospital Microbiology Laboratory between March 2021 and January 2022 were included in the study. Bacteria were identified using conventional methods and the VITEK 2 automated system. Cefoxitin (FOX) resistance was determined by the disk diffusion method according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) standards. FOX resistance was confirmed by the (Penicillin Binding Protein 2' (PBP2') latex agglutination test. Types of mecA, mecC, coa, nuc, Panton Valentin Leukocidin (PVL), ccrC2, class A mec, SCCmec (I, II, III, IVa, IVb, IVc, IVd, IVg, IVh, IVi, IVj, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII and XIII) in isolates detected as MRSA were investigated by real time PCR.
Results: In this study 116 isolates meeting the study criteria were examined. By detecting the nuc and coa genes in all isolates by PCR, the phenotypic identification of S.aureuswas confirmed. While the mecA gene was detected in all MRSA isolates, no mecC gene was detected in any isolates. SCCmec Type I was detected in three isolates (2.6%), Type II in 33 (28.4%), Type III in 15 (12.9%), Type IVa in 13 (11.2%) 3.4) Type IVb, four (3.4%) Type IVc, 14 (12.1%) Type IVg, one (0.9%) Type V, five (4.3%) Type VII, Type VIII in 21 (18.1%), Type IX in one (0.9%), and Type XII was detected in two (1.7%) isolates. On the other hand, SCCmec Type VI, Type X, Type XI and type XIII were not found in any isolate. It was determined that four of the MRSA isolates (3.4%) carried the PVL gene.
Conclusions: Monitoring of FOX resistance is an effective and safety method in determination of MRSA isolates. The change in mec gene cause resistance should be monitored regularly with molecular methods. Our study is the first study in Turkey in this context.