Toxigenic profile of methicillin-sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from special groups

Abstract

BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is characterized by its pathogenicity and high prevalence, causing disease in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals due to its easy dissemination. This fact is aggravated by the widespread dissemination of S. aureus carrying toxigenic genes. The objective of this study was to determine the toxigenic profile of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in patients with purulent skin and/or soft tissue infections seen at the Dermatology Department of the University Hospital of the Botucatu Medical School, asymptomatic adults older than 60 years living in nursing homes, and prison inmates of the Avaré Detention Center.MethodsPCR was used for the detection of the mecA gene, enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, and sec), exfoliative toxins A and B (eta and etb), toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tst), panton–valentine leukocidin (lukS-PV and lukF-PV), and alpha- and delta-hemolysins or cytotoxins (hla and hld).ResultsThe results showed a significant prevalence of toxigenic genes among S. aureus isolates from asymptomatic individuals, with the observation of a higher prevalence of cytotoxin genes. However, the panton–valentine leukocidin gene was only detected in MSSA isolated from patients with skin infections and the tst gene was exclusively found in MSSA isolated from prison inmates.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated a significant prevalence of toxigenic genes in MSSA and MRSA strains isolated from asymptomatic S. aureus carriers. There was a higher prevalence of cytotoxin genes.

Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenicity and Polymicrobial Interactions: Lessons beyond Koch’s Postulates

“…As mentioned prior, S. aureus virulence is mainly due to toxin production and is intimately tied to QS. However, not all S. aureus strains have the same toxin profile, as major inter-strain heterogeneity with respect to genetic presence/absence and relative expression of toxin-producing genes is apparent [68,69]. Carlson used various S. aureus strains with different toxin profiles in her initial studies of C. albicans – S. aureus synergism, focusing on toxic-shock syndrome (TSS)-associated isolates and non-TSS disease-associated isolates [70].…”

Çeşitli Klinik Örneklerden İzole Edilen Metisiline Dirençli ve Duyarlı Staphylococcus aureus Suşlarının Toksin Profillerinin Araştırılması

“…Distribution of agr types according to MSSA and MRSA isolates but detected the eta gene in only one the MRSA (n=30) isolate. de Souza et al(35) did not find the eta and etb genes in any of MRSA isolates, but detected the eta gene in only 2.3% (3/130) of the MSSA isolates. Similarly, Nhan et al(36) reported a low prevalence rate for eta (1/1186) among clinical S. aureus isolates.…”

Virulence Factors Found in Nasal Colonization and Infection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolates and Their Ability to Form a Biofilm

“…It occurs due to modifications of its binding site for the altered Penicillin Binding Protein (PBP2a) encoded by the mec A gene, inserted in the Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCC mec ) [ 12 , 13 ]. In addition to antimicrobial resistance, S. aureus is capable of producing a large number of virulence factors, such as toxins and enzymes, hemolysins (α, β, γ, and δ), Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL), Staphylococcal Enterotoxins (SEs), exfoliative toxins A and B (ETA and ETB), toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1), as well as the ACME gene, formed by the cluster arc and opp3 , responsible for increasing the pathogenicity of strains by improving their fitness and conferring the ability to survive in an acidic environment [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”