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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
The high cross-transmission in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus between healthy and patient communities
Behnood Haji Sheikhzadeh1, Leila Rahbarnia2, Alireza Dehnad3
1Department of Biology, School of Basic Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Background And Objectives:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the main causes of high mortality and morbidity in hospitals. This study was aimed to examine virulence factors, molecular typing, and the antibiotic resistance pattern of MRSA isolates in hemodialysis patients and healthy communities.
Materials And Methods:
Total of 231 and 400 nasal samples were obtained from hemodialysis patients and healthy communities, respectively. Virulence factors profile was examined in two groups by PCR reaction. Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC-PCR) was used as a molecular typing approach.
Results:
Overall, 35.49% (82/231) of hemodialysis patients were positive for S. aureus, and 47.56% (39/82) of isolates were positive for mecA. In a healthy community, 15% (60/400) of samples were positive for S. aureus, and 36.66% (22/60) were positive for mecA. The frequency of MDR was significantly higher in patients group (p-value < 0.00001). The frequency of pvl (p.value = 0.003932, P<0.05) and tsst-1 (p.value = 0.003173, p < .05) were significantly higher in patients group. The highest frequency virulence factors in healthy individuals were related to hla (68.33%, 41/60), hlb (53.33%, 32/60), and Acme/arcA (46.66%) genes. Two groups were clustered by the ERIC-PCR method into 7 clusters and 2 single isolate with a 0.74 similarity index. Based on the results, each cluster was combination with healthy and patient isolates.
Conclusion:
Our findings indicate a notable variation in the frequency of virulence factors between S. aureus isolates obtained from dialysis patients and the healthy community.
Insights
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is more prevalent and carries distinct virulence factors in hemodialysis patients compared to the healthy community. This highlights the need for targeted surveillance and infection control strategies in vulnerable patient populations.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant threat, causing high mortality and morbidity in healthcare settings.
- Understanding the genetic and virulence profiles of MRSA is crucial for effective treatment and control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of virulence factors, molecular types, and antibiotic resistance patterns of MRSA.
- To compare these characteristics between MRSA isolates from hemodialysis patients and a healthy community.
Main Methods:
- Nasal samples were collected from 231 hemodialysis patients and 400 healthy individuals.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to identify virulence factors.
- Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC-PCR) was employed for molecular typing.
Main Results:
- MRSA was detected in 47.56% of S. aureus isolates from hemodialysis patients versus 36.66% in the healthy community.
- Key virulence factors like pvl and tsst-1 were significantly more frequent in patient isolates.
- ERIC-PCR revealed 7 clusters, with isolates from both groups intermingled, suggesting community and patient strains share genetic similarities.
Conclusions:
- Significant variations in virulence factor frequency exist between MRSA from hemodialysis patients and the general community.
- Hemodialysis patients harbor MRSA strains with potentially higher virulence.
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