Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis carrying biofilm formation genes: detection of clinical isolates by multiplex PCR.
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most prevalent coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) and is a major cause of hospital bacteremia. Based on 18 reference strains and 149 Staphylococcus clinical strains, used in a novel multiplex PCR method, the aim of this study was to identify S. epidermidis with respect to the sequence of three genes: recN, which encodes a recombination/repair protein, mecA (methicillin resistance), and icaAB, which is involved in biofilm formation. Amplicons of 219 bp (S. epidermidis-recN gene), 154 bp (mecA gene), and 546 bp (icaAB genes) were obtained. Reliable results were achieved for 100% of the evaluated strains, suggesting that this new multiplex-PCR approach could be useful for the accurate identification of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis with the potential to produce biofilm.
Laboratory of Hospital Infections, Department of Medical Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Natalia L P
NL
Iorio
Milena B
MB
Azevedo
Vanessa H
VH
Frazão
Ariane G
AG
Barcellos
Elaine M
EM
Barros
Eliezer M
EM
Pereira
Cláudio S
CS
de Mattos
Kátia R N
KR
dos Santos
D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C487495:MecA protein, Staphylococcus epidermidis; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; C047879:RecN protein, Bacteria; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C497363:poly-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase