Distribution of the ACME-arcA gene among meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus and identification of a novel ccr allotype in ACME-arcA-positive isolates.
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of ACME (arginine catabolic mobile element)-arcA-positive isolates among meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH). ACME-arcA, native arcA and SCCmec elements were detected by PCR. Susceptibilities to 10 antimicrobial agents were compared between ACME-arcA-positive and -negative isolates by chi-square test. PFGE was used to investigate the clonal relatedness of ACME-arcA-positive isolates. The phylogenetic relationships of ACME-arcA and native arcA were analysed using the neighbour-joining methods of mega software. A total of 42 (47.7 %) of 88 isolates distributed in 13 PFGE types were positive for the ACME-arcA gene. There were no significant differences in antimicrobial susceptibility between ACME-arcA-positive and -negative isolates. A novel ccr allotype (ccrAB(SHP)) was identified in ACME-arcA-positive isolates. Among 42 ACME-arcA-positive isolates: 8 isolates harboured SCCmec V, 8 isolates harboured class C1 mec complex and ccrAB(SHP); 22 isolates harbouring class C1 mec complex and 4 isolates harbouring class C2 mec complex were negative for all known ccr allotypes. The ACME-arcA-positive isolates were first found in MRSH with high prevalence and clonal diversity, which suggests a mobility of ACME within MRSH. The results from this study revealed that MRSH is likely to be one of the potential reservoirs of ACME for Staphylococcus aureus.
Pi
Borui
B
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China.
Yu
Meihong
M
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China.
Chen
Yagang
Y
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China.
Yu
Yunsong
Y
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China.
Li
Lanjuan
L
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, PR China.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001120:Arginine; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020071:Interspersed Repetitive Sequences; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D045522:Recombinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D041162:Staphylococcus haemolyticus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D045522:Recombinases; D001120:Arginine; D006867:Hydrolases; C019723:arginine deiminase