title: Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated in Tunisia.
abstract: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are an emerging problem, especially related to the production of staphylococcal toxins. In this study we investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of 72 Tunisian MRSA. Our results revealed that these strains are multiresistant. Using multiplex polymerase chain reaction, we detected staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV and IVA in 66 isolates. The latter are Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive. The leukotoxin genes lukE-lukD were found in most strains (92.4%). The amplification of gamma-hemolysin gene was detected only in 2 MRSA isolates. Among all strains, only 1 expressed the exfoliatin A. fnbA gene was detected in 12 strains, fnbB gene in 2 strains, and both fnbA and fnbB genes in 2 other strains. The most predominant accessory gene regulator group identified was group III. Full characterization of these MRSA strains requires the association of SCCmec typing with other molecular methods such as pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus-sequence typing, and spa typing.
authors.affiliation: Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Nejma
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastouri
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frih
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.forename: Youcef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben Salem
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C095698:Agr protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D007956:Leukocidins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D037521:Virulence Factors; D008712:Methicillin