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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA

Published on: February 9, 2011

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Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolates causing skin and soft tissue infections in patients from

S Madzgalla1,2, M A Syed3, M A Khan3

  • 1Alere Technologies GmbH, Jena, Germany.

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases : Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology
|June 6, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Few studies detail Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA in Central Asia. This study genotypes S. aureus from Pakistan, finding prevalent MRSA and PVL strains, necessitating updated antibiotic treatments and rapid PVL detection methods.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Limited data exists on Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), epidemiology in Central Asia, particularly Pakistan.
  • Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are common, with S. aureus being a primary causative agent in both community and hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To genotype Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from SSTIs in Pakistan.
  • To determine the prevalence of methicillin resistance and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin production.
  • To identify dominant bacterial clones and compare findings with existing epidemiological data.

Main Methods:

  • Microarray hybridization was used for genotyping.
  • Forty-five S. aureus isolates from a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan were analyzed.
  • Detection of mecA (for methicillin resistance) and PVL genes was performed.

Main Results:

  • Twenty isolates (44%) were identified as MRSA.
  • Twenty-two isolates (49%) were positive for PVL.
  • Fourteen isolates (31%) harbored both mecA and PVL genes.
  • Dominant clones included CC121-MSSA (33%) and ST772-MRSA-V (Bengal Bay Clone, 29%).
  • The USA300 MRSA strain was found once; the ST239-MRSA-III strain was notably absent.

Conclusions:

  • The genotypic profile of S. aureus in this region highlights the need for re-evaluation of empirical antibiotic therapy to include MRSA coverage.
  • The high prevalence of PVL-positive strains underscores the importance of developing rapid, non-molecular diagnostic tests for PVL detection.

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