Abstract
Since the identification of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, penicillin was exclusively used to combat its disastrous toxic effects. Shortly thereafter, resistant strains arose, which were no longer susceptible to penicillin or methicillin treatments. These strands were later identified as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Two particular MRSA strands that are discussed below are the hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) strands and the community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strands. Despite arising from a single bacterium, S. aureus, each of these two strands possesses quite different resistance and virulence factors. These differences contribute to the type of population in which they affect, their ability to resist traditional treatment approaches, and their overall morbidity and mortality rates. We explore these differences by reviewing several review articles published on various reputable scientific online databases. Findings include sources from studies conducted in the United States, China, Nepal, and Uganda, ranging from 2006 to 2019. These resistance and virulence factors, the Staphylococcal cassette cartridge mecA resistance gene (SCCmec) and the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin toxin gene (PVL), were identified and isolated in each of these studies in order to appreciate similarities and differences in how they impact human beings.
Highlights
BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is a native bacterium to normal human flora and commonly found in the environment
Of the four selected research papers, all four confirmed the suspicion of a specific Staphylococcal cassette cartridge mecA resistance gene (SCCmec) subtype and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin toxin gene (PVL) gene present in either methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain in question, which contributes to that particular strain's pattern of resistance
Two of the studies went one step further to describe cross-mixing of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) strands within a community, which was once exclusively thought to be dominated by communityacquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strains [8,9]
Summary
BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is a native bacterium to normal human flora and commonly found in the environment. In a healthy individual with intact skin membranes, this bacterium does not usually cause infection, once dissemination of S. aureus occurs in the bloodstream or internal soft tissues, potentially life-threatening infections may arise [1]. To better understand the differences between hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) and community-acquired-MRSA and their degree of resistance, an analysis of their genetic and structural configuration must be explored. It is these resistance genes, virulence factors, and toxins that aid in further explaining the resistance Staphylococcus aureus expresses against most traditional therapeutic agents, contributing to the increased morbidity and mortality of patients [2,3]. The diseases include but are not limited to skin infections, food poisoning, bone infections, bacteremia, and infections of implanted devices
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