Abstract
Background: Most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections occur in health care settings; therefore, it is important to know about antimicrobial susceptibility, and carriage of virulence genes in S. aureus isolates. Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the prevalence of genes coding antimicrobial resistance, toxins, and adhesion factors among various SCCmec types of MRSA isolated from intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: From April 2016 to March 2017, a total of 200 MRSA species were isolated from various clinical samples of patients hospitalized in ICUs. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was employed to determine resistance pattern. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was utilized to demonstrate antimicrobial resistance, toxins, and adhesion genes. Different SCCmec types of MRSA strains were determine by the multiplex PCR assay. Results: Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that all the isolates were sensitive to linezolid, teicoplanin, and vancomycin. The frequency of high-level mupirocin-resistant MRSA was 5.5%. The presence of resistance genes ant(4’)-Ia, aac(6’)-Ie/aph(2’’), tetM, msrA, ph(3’)-IIIa, ermA, msrB, ermB, ermC, and mupA were detected 73.5%, 60.5%, 57.5%, 37%, 36.5%, 34.5%, 24%, 17%, 15% and 5.5%, respectively. The most prevalent adhesion genes were clfA (93.5%) followed by clfB (90%), fnbA (81.5%), fnbB (77%), can (51%), ebp (46.5%), and bbp (2.5%). The frequency of etb, eta, pvl, and tst genes were 4.5%, 9.5%, 21.5%, and 61.5%, respectively. Inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (inducible MLSB resistance; iMLSB), and constitutive MLSB (cMLSB) phenotypes were observed in 88 (44%) and 26 (13%) isolates. Different SCCmec types comprising type III (56.5%), type IV (25%), type II (11%) and type I (7.5%) were identified among the MRSA strains. Conclusions: Results of the current study showed a high prevalence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics that can be a serious threat to patients hospitalized in ICUs. Also, the current study findings showed that different SCCmec types causing nosocomial infections were associated with specific antimicrobial resistance, adhesion, and toxin gene profiles.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
