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Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

Antimicrobials Resistance Profiling and Clonal Lineages of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Cockroaches in

Mohsen Karami1, Mehdi Safari2, Yasin Saberi1

  • 1Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.

Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases
|November 24, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Hospital cockroaches carry antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, posing a significant threat. Controlling cockroach populations is crucial to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cockroaches act as mechanical vectors for microbial pathogens.
  • Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major nosocomial pathogen.
  • Investigating S. aureus resistance in hospital-associated cockroaches is vital for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the resistance patterns of S. aureus strains isolated from cockroaches against gentamicin, vancomycin, and antiseptics.
  • To identify specific resistance and antiseptic genes within these S. aureus isolates.
  • To analyze the genetic relatedness of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains found in hospital environments.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of S. aureus from cockroaches in three university-affiliated hospitals.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility testing (gentamicin, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and agar dilution.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for detecting resistance genes and Multiple-Locus Variable-number tandem-repeat Analysis (MLVA) for genetic typing.

Main Results:

  • High gentamicin resistance (46.7%) and prevalence of aminoglycoside resistance genes.
  • Low vancomycin resistance (3.3%), with one isolate carrying the vanA gene.
  • Significant frequencies of antiseptic resistance genes (qacA/B, qacC, qacD, psmA, smr) and high genetic diversity among resistant S. aureus strains shown by MLVA.

Conclusions:

  • Hospital cockroaches harbor diverse antibiotic-resistant S. aureus strains.
  • The presence of resistance and antiseptic genes highlights potential transmission pathways.
  • Effective cockroach control is essential to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance in hospitals.
Keywords:
Cross resistantGentamicinMolecular typingVancomycin

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