Evolution of slime production by coagulase-negative staphylococci and enterotoxigenic characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from various human clinical specimens.
The present study was designed to determine the slime production of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and the enterotoxigenic properties of Staphylococcus aureus strains, and to evaluate the clinical importance of slime-producing CoNS and enterotoxigenic S. aureus strains isolated from various human clinical specimens. For this purpose, a total of 120 Staphylococcus strains were isolated and identified, and further characterized for their slime production and enterotoxigenicity. Of the clinical isolates, 55 (45.8 %) were found to be S. aureus, and the others (54.2 %) were identified as CoNS. Of the CoNS, 20 (16.7 %) were further identified as Staphylococcus hominis, 18 (15 %) as Staphylococcus epidermidis, six (5 %) as Staphylococcus xylosus, six (5 %) as Staphylococcus warneri, five (4.2 %) as Staphylococcus sciuri, four (3.3 %) as Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and two each (1.7 %) as Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus capitis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, respectively. Thirty-nine (60 %) of 65 CoNS were found to be slime producers. Slime production was observed in all CoNS, except S. capitis, mostly from blood (38.5 %), tracheal aspiration (20.5 %) and urine (12.8 %) specimens. In addition, of the 55 S. aureus isolates, 46 (83.6 %) were found to be enterotoxigenic, and of these S. aureus strains, 39 (84.7 %) were positive for staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE)A. The results of this study showed that the slime-producing CoNS were mostly found in clinical specimens of blood, tracheal aspirate and urine. SEA was the predominant enterotoxin type detected in S. aureus strains from human clinical specimens.
Boynukara
Banur
B
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yıl, 65080 Van, Turkey.
Gulhan
Timur
T
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yıl, 65080 Van, Turkey.
Gurturk
Kemal
K
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yıl, 65080 Van, Turkey.
Alisarli
Mustafa
M
Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yıl, 65080 Van, Turkey.
Ogun
Erdal
E
Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Yuzuncu Yıl, 65080 Van, Turkey.
D001826:Body Fluids / Q000382:microbiology; D003030:Coagulase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
D003030:Coagulase; D004768:Enterotoxins; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial