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PREVALENCE, ANTIBIOTIC AND PULSED-FIELD GEL ELECTROPHORESIS PATTERNS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS SMALL-COLONY VARIANTS

Nagehan Pakasticali, Gamze Kaya, Unal Senel

    The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
    |July 14, 2016
    PubMed

    Insights

    Staphylococcus aureus small-colony variants (SCVs) are increasingly found in cystic fibrosis patients. These SCVs show higher antibiotic resistance, necessitating careful treatment considerations for this infection.

    Area of Science:

    • Medical Microbiology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Pulmonology

    Background:

    • Staphylococcus aureus is a primary pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) respiratory infections.
    • An increasing prevalence of S. aureus small-colony variants (SCVs) is observed in CF patients.
    • Understanding the characteristics of S. aureus SCVs is crucial for effective CF patient management.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the prevalence of S. aureus SCVs in CF patients.
    • To determine the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of S. aureus SCVs.
    • To analyze the genotypic properties of S. aureus SCVs in Turkish CF patients.

    Main Methods:

    • Respiratory tract samples from 84 CF patients were analyzed.
    • Isolation and identification of normal S. aureus and S. aureus SCVs.
    • Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed.
    • Genotyping was conducted using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

    Main Results:

    • S. aureus was found in 71% of CF patients, with SCVs identified in 21%.
    • S. aureus SCVs exhibited high resistance to penicillin (82%) and clarithromycin (21%).
    • Levofloxacin resistance was higher in SCVs (16%) compared to normal S. aureus (2%).
    • No mecA or mecC genes were detected.
    • PFGE revealed 24 distinct S. aureus genotypes.

    Conclusions:

    • S. aureus SCVs are prevalent in CF patients and demonstrate distinct antibiotic resistance patterns.
    • Elevated resistance in SCVs, particularly to levofloxacin, warrants clinical attention.
    • Genotypic diversity exists among S. aureus strains in this CF cohort.
    • Treatment strategies for CF patients should consider the potential for increased antibiotic resistance in S. aureus SCVs.

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