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Published on: September 8, 2021

Pine oil cleaner-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: reduced susceptibility to vancomycin and oxacillin and involvement

Christopher T D Price1, Vineet K Singh, Radheshyam K Jayaswal

  • 1Microbiology Department, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515, USA.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|October 31, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Household pine oil cleaner (POC) resistance in Staphylococcus aureus mutants correlates with reduced susceptibility to antibiotics like vancomycin. This POC resistance is linked to the SigB transcription factor, suggesting disinfectants may select for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Disinfectants are widely used in healthcare and domestic settings.
  • The potential for disinfectants to co-select for antibiotic resistance is a growing concern.
  • Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen, often associated with hospital-acquired infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between resistance to a household pine oil cleaner (POC) and antibiotic susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus.
  • To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying POC resistance in S. aureus.
  • To explore the potential link between POC resistance and the development of glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus (GISA) phenotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of POC-resistant Staphylococcus aureus mutants.
  • Assessment of antibiotic susceptibility (vancomycin, oxacillin) in POC-resistant mutants.
  • Genetic analysis, including gene inactivation (sigB) and isolation of suppressor mutants.
  • Comparison of POC susceptibility in in vitro-selected GISA isolates and their parent strains.

Main Results:

  • POC-resistant S. aureus mutants exhibited reduced susceptibility to vancomycin and oxacillin.
  • The POC resistance phenotype was dependent on the alternative transcription factor SigB.
  • A sigB-independent mechanism for POC resistance was also identified.
  • GISA isolates showed decreased susceptibility to POC compared to their parent strains.

Conclusions:

  • Common disinfectants like pine oil cleaner can select for Staphylococcus aureus strains with reduced antibiotic susceptibility.
  • The SigB transcription factor plays a crucial role in mediating POC resistance and associated antibiotic tolerance.
  • Mutations conferring POC resistance may be implicated in the emergence of GISA phenotypes, highlighting a potential cross-resistance mechanism.

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