Molecular typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated in two metropolitan areas of São Paulo State, southeast Brazil

Abstract

One hundred and fifty-one methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains have been isolated from patients admitted in tertiary care hospitals in two metropolitan areas (Campinas City and Ribeirão Preto City) in the southeast region of Brazil and analyzed through PCR-based techniques [(PCR amplification of spa, coa, and housekeeping genes (arcC, aroE, gmk, pta, tpi, yqiL)] and further restriction fragment typing of coa and of housekeeping genes. The heterogeneity of spa gene was determined directly by agarose gel electrophoresis migration. The results obtained indicate the existence of three (A, B, C) main clusters. Since the strain distribution in these three clusters is much characteristic, it denotes the existence of three main clones. All strains isolated in Campinas were grouped in clusters A and B, while most of the strains isolated in Ribeirão Preto were grouped in cluster C. This distribution denotes the existence of different founder strains that undergo independent genetic variability. The strains considered representative of the Brazilian Epidemic Clone (BEC) were categorized as cluster A. These results indicate a possible higher variability among Brazilian MRSA strains than currently described and indicate that the techniques herein used can be used as an alternative to Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE).

Antibacterial activity of extracellular compounds produced by a Pseudomonas strain against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains

“…Three standard MRSA strains were also used in this work. The strains MRSA N315 [23], BEC9393 [24] and rib1 [25] were provided by Dr. Elsa Masae Mamizuka (Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil), Dr. Agnes Marie Sá Figueiredo (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil), and Dr. Wanderley Dias da Silveira (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil), respectively. All strains were stored at - 80°C in stocks containing glycerol (2.5 M).…”

Clonal diversity and epidemiological characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus: high prevalence of oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus (OS-MRSA) associated with clinical isolates in Brazil

“…MRSA accounted for 54 % of nosocomial S. aureus infections in Brazil in 2006 [ 9 ]. A multiresistant HA-MRSA clone, known as Brazilian epidemic clone (BEC), characterized as sequence type (ST) 239 and SCC mec III, is responsible for the majority of nosocomial infections in Brazil [ 10 – 12 ]. However, more recent studies reported a frequent occurrence of the MRSA USA800/Paediatric clone (PC) (ST5-SCC mec IV), USA100/New York/Japan clone (ST5-SCC mec II), USA400 (ST1-SCC mec IV) and USA1100/Southwest pacific clone (SWP) (ST30-SCC mec IV) in Brazilian hospitals [ 13 – 18 ].…”

Metabolic and infectious pathologies in Brazilian medical literature: a review

“…Shrestha et al 71 described the nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among health care workers in a Nepal hospital. Cury et al 72 studied 151 methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains isolated from patients admitted to tertiary care hospitals in two metropolitan areas (Campinas City and Ribeirao Preto) in the southeast of Brazil through PCR-based techniques and found that the variability among such strains is larger than previously reported, indicating that the techniques used by these authors can be an alternative to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.…”