Nosocomial occurrence of enterotoxigenic multiresistant Staphylococcus strains in Rio de Janeiro

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections.
• Understanding strain diversity is crucial for infection control.
• Antimicrobial resistance and toxin production influence S. aureus pathogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize antimicrobial resistance patterns and biochemical profiles of S. aureus strains from a Brazilian hospital.
• To investigate the phage-typing and enterotoxin synthesis capabilities of these strains.
• To assess the potential link between specific S. aureus strains and fatal nosocomial infections.

Main Methods:

• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 46 S. aureus isolates.
• Biochemical profiling and phage-typing were conducted.
• Enterotoxin synthesis (including Enterotoxin D, EEB, and TSSF-1) was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Three antimicrobial resistance patterns were identified: MARSA, MRSA, and MSSA.
• Most strains exhibited a single biochemical pattern, but significant phage-typing variations were observed.
• Fourteen strains produced enterotoxins, with Enterotoxin D being the most common.

Conclusions:

• Diverse S. aureus strains are prevalent in the studied hospital.
• Specific S. aureus strains were strongly implicated in fatal nosocomial infections, particularly in intensive care units.
• Findings underscore the importance of ongoing surveillance and infection control measures for S. aureus.