Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus producing Panton-Valentine leukocidin in a retrospective case series from

J Robert1, J Etienne, X Bertrand

  • 1Bactériologie-Hygiène, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France. jrobert@chups.jussieu.fr

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|June 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

A study found that 0.4-1.0% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates carried Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes. Most PVL-positive isolates shared a common genetic fingerprint, suggesting a clonal origin for these specific MRSA strains.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant pathogen.
  • Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a toxin associated with severe MRSA infections.
  • Understanding the genetic characteristics of PVL-producing MRSA is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of PVL-associated antibiotic susceptibility patterns in MRSA isolates.
  • To investigate the genetic relatedness of MRSA isolates exhibiting PVL-associated patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of hospital laboratory data from 2000-2003.
  • Molecular testing for PVL genes in selected MRSA isolates.
  • Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using SmaI restriction enzyme to assess genetic similarity.

Main Results:

  • 0.4-1.0% of MRSA isolates displayed antibiotic susceptibility patterns linked to PVL production.
  • Of 35 tested isolates with PVL-associated patterns, all carried the PVL genes.
  • 33 out of 35 PVL-positive isolates exhibited an identical SmaI PFGE pattern, indicating a highly clonal population.

Conclusions:

  • A small but significant proportion of MRSA isolates in this cohort produced PVL.
  • The genetic homogeneity among PVL-positive isolates suggests the emergence and spread of specific MRSA clones.
  • These findings highlight the importance of molecular surveillance for tracking the epidemiology of PVL-producing MRSA.

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...