Characterisation of non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (including EMRSA-15) in Kuwait Hospitals.
This study characterised non-multiresistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (nmMRSA) isolates from Kuwait hospitals to ascertain whether they were community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA). Forty-two nmMRSA isolates obtained between July 2001 and October 2003 were analysed by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, bacteriophage typing, production of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), urease and staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C and D, TSST-1, and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Forty-one isolates were SCCmec type IV, and one isolate was SCCmec type III. The isolates belonged to six PFGE patterns, with two types, A and D, distributed in six and four hospitals, respectively. Most (n = 26; 61.9%) isolates produced urease. These isolates were mainly from wound and skin infections, showed low-level methicillin resistance (MIC 8-48 mg/L), and nine carried genes for PVL. These characteristics, together with their carriage of the type-IV SCCmec, identified the isolates as CA-MRSA. Ten of the 16 urease-negative isolates produced staphylococal enterotoxin C; 12 reacted weakly with phage 75, and were resistant to clindamycin and/or erythromycin, which are characteristics of EMRSA-15. Thus, this study identified the co-existence of two types of nmMRSA, i.e., CA-MRSA and EMRSA-15, in Kuwait hospitals.
Udo
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Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. EDET@hsc.edu.kw
Al-Sweih
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N
Noronha
B
B
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003428:Cross Infection; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D007956:Leukocidins; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D045522:Recombinases / Q000235:genetics; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C489156:CcrC protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D045522:Recombinases; D047090:beta-Lactams; D014510:Urease; D008712:Methicillin