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The First Report of t8463 and t605 spa Types in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from ICUs in
P Karimian1, A Mojtahedi2, M Anvari3
1Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
Abstract:
Staphylococcus aureus is the most important human pathogen, in community and hospital-acquired infections. The colonization rate of this organism is high in medical personnel and devices. Considering the importance of carriers in the transmission of S. aureus infection, this study investigated the origin of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated from Velayat and Poursina Hospitals of Rasht. In an eight-month period, a total of 500 samples were collected from hospitalized patients, healthcare personnel, various surfaces, air, and medical devices within the intensive care units (ICUs) of Velayat and Poursina Hospitals. After the identification of MRSA strains by microbiological and biochemical standard methods, the DNA of the isolates was extracted. The spa typing of MRSA strains was done after determining the sequence of amplified protein A genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. Among 500 samples, 45 (9%) samples were infected with S. aureus and 31 (68.9%) MRSA strains were identified from different ICUs. For the first time, S. aureus was divided into three types with the help of the spa technique in the ICU of Rasht hospitals. Among the examined samples, the t14870 spa type prevailed (95.5%), which had been found in previous studies in different regions of Iran. However, two types, t8463 (2.2%) and t605 (2.2%), were obtained for the first time in Iran, which were MRSA and obtained from the noses of patients. The high frequency of S. aureus isolates in (ICUs) and among healthcare personnel significantly contributes to the transmission of infections within the hospital setting.
Insights
This study identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Rasht hospitals, finding the t14870 spa type most common. Two new MRSA spa types, t8463 and t605, were discovered in patient noses.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen causing community and hospital-acquired infections.
- High colonization rates of S. aureus in healthcare personnel and devices facilitate transmission.
- Understanding the origin and spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is crucial for infection control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the origin of MRSA strains isolated from Velayat and Poursina Hospitals in Rasht.
- To characterize MRSA isolates using spa typing to understand their epidemiological patterns.
- To identify novel MRSA spa types circulating in Iranian hospitals.
Main Methods:
- Collection of 500 samples from patients, healthcare personnel, surfaces, air, and medical devices in ICUs over eight months.
- Identification of MRSA using standard microbiological and biochemical methods.
- DNA extraction followed by spa typing of MRSA strains via PCR amplification and sequencing of the protein A gene.
Main Results:
- Out of 500 samples, 45 (9%) were positive for S. aureus, with 31 (68.9%) identified as MRSA.
- spa typing revealed three distinct S. aureus types in the Rasht hospital ICUs.
- The t14870 spa type was predominant (95.5%), while two new MRSA spa types, t8463 and t605 (2.2% each), were identified for the first time in Iran, isolated from patient nasal samples.
Conclusions:
- The high prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA in ICUs and among healthcare workers highlights their role in hospital-acquired infections.
- The identification of novel MRSA spa types underscores the need for continuous surveillance and molecular typing.
- spa typing is an effective tool for tracking MRSA transmission dynamics in healthcare settings.
