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Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by Ribosomal Spacer PCR RS-PCR
Published on: November 4, 2016
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Staphylococcus aureus from the German general population is highly diverse
Karsten Becker1, Frieder Schaumburg1, Christian Fegeler2
1University Hospital Münster, Institute of Medical Microbiology, 48149 Münster, Germany.
International Journal of Medical Microbiology : IJMM
|December 27, 2016
Summary
Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) nasal colonization in the German population is highly diverse. Clonal lineages of persistent Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) carriers changed over time, with a lower proportion of persistent carriers than previously reported.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common colonizer of the human nares.
- Understanding the dynamics and molecular characteristics of S. aureus colonization is crucial for public health.
- Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) exhibit different epidemiological patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the colonization dynamics of MSSA and MRSA in a German general population.
- To characterize the molecular features of colonizing S. aureus strains.
- To assess the prevalence and persistence of S. aureus nasal carriage.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 1878 non-hospitalized adults.
- Three nasal swab screenings at 6-8 month intervals.
- Molecular characterization including spa typing, agr typing, mecA/mecC detection, and virulence factor gene PCR.
Main Results:
- 40.9% of participants carried S. aureus; MRSA prevalence was 0.7% (predominantly spa type t011).
- MSSA isolates showed high diversity with 331 spa types; t084, t091, and t012 were predominant.
- Among persistent carriers, 80.6% harbored unrelated spa types over time, indicating dynamic colonization.
Conclusions:
- Community-acquired MSSA nasal isolates are clonally diverse.
- Clonal lineages of S. aureus in persistent carriers change over time.
- The prevalence of persistent S. aureus nasal carriage in this population was lower than previously reported.
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