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Updated: Jul 15, 2025
Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
Published on: May 8, 2013
Antiseptics and mupirocin resistance in clinical, environmental, and colonizing coagulase negative Staphylococcus
Enas Mamdouh Hefzy1, Tharwat E E Radwan2, Basma M M Hozayen2
1Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt. emh01@fayoum.edu.eg.
Background:
Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) are opportunistic and nosocomial pathogens. The excessive use of antimicrobial agents, including antiseptics, represents one of the world's major public health problems. This study aimed to test the susceptibility of CoNS to antiseptics.
Methods:
Out of 250 specimens collected from different sections of the hospital, 55 samples were identified as CoNS, categorized into three groups based on their sources: environmental samples (n = 32), healthcare worker carriers samples (n = 14), and clinical infection samples (n = 9). Isolates were examined for susceptibility to antibiotics and antiseptics, such as benzalkonium chloride (BC), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG). Mupirocin and antiseptic resistance genes, as well as the mecA gene, were detected using polymerase chain reaction. CoNS isolates with notable resistance to antiseptics and antibiotics were identified using the API-Staph system.
Results:
A high frequency of multidrug resistance among CoNS clinical infection isolates was observed. Approximately half of the CoNS isolates from healthcare workers were susceptible to CHDG, but 93% were resistant to BC and CTAB. The frequency of antiseptics and antibiotics resistance genes in CoNS isolates was as follows: qacA/B (51/55; 92.7%), smr (22/55; 40.0%), qacG (1/55; 1.8%), qacH (6/55; 10.9%), qacJ (4/55; 7.3%), mecA (35/55; 63.6%), mupB (10/55; 18.2%), and mupA (7/55; 12.7%). A significant difference in the prevalence of smr gene and qacJ genes between CoNS isolates from healthcare workers and other isolates was reported (P value = 0.032 and ˂0.001, respectively). Four different CoNS species; S. epidermidis, S. chromogene, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis, were identified by API.
Conclusions:
CoNS isolates colonizing healthcare workers showed a high prevalence of antiseptic resistance genes, while clinical infection samples were more resistant to antibiotics. CHDG demonstrated greater efficacy than BC and CTAB in our hospital.
Insights
Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) show high antiseptic resistance, particularly to benzalkonium chloride (BC) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG) was more effective against these opportunistic pathogens in a hospital setting.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) are significant opportunistic and nosocomial pathogens.
- The widespread use of antimicrobial agents, including antiseptics, contributes to public health challenges.
- Understanding CoNS susceptibility to antiseptics is crucial for infection control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the susceptibility of CoNS isolates to common antiseptics.
- To identify antiseptic and antibiotic resistance genes in CoNS.
- To compare the efficacy of different antiseptics against CoNS.
Main Methods:
- Collected 250 specimens from various hospital sources.
- Identified 55 CoNS isolates from environmental, healthcare worker, and clinical samples.
- Tested isolate susceptibility to benzalkonium chloride (BC), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG) using standard methods.
- Detected resistance genes (qacA/B, smr, qacG, qacH, qacJ, mecA, mupB, mupA) via polymerase chain reaction.
Main Results:
- High multidrug resistance observed in CoNS clinical isolates.
- 93% of CoNS from healthcare workers were resistant to BC and CTAB, while 50% were susceptible to CHDG.
- Prevalence of antiseptic resistance genes (qacA/B, smr, qacJ) and antibiotic resistance genes (mecA) was significant.
- S. epidermidis, S. chromogene, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis were identified CoNS species.
Conclusions:
- CoNS isolates from healthcare workers exhibit high antiseptic resistance gene prevalence.
- Clinical CoNS infection isolates showed greater antibiotic resistance.
- Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG) demonstrated superior efficacy compared to BC and CTAB in this hospital setting.
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