Multiplex PCR for detection of superantigenic toxin genes in methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients and carriers of a hospital in northeast Thailand.
The aims of this study were to develop multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of five superantigenic toxin genes (sea, seb, sec, sed and tst-1) in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from 149 clinical samples and nasal swabs from 201 healthy subjects in Thailand, and to compare prevalence and expression of those genes between methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was 10(3) CFU/ml (60 CFU/PCR reaction) for DNA templates extracted by both boiling and extraction methods. S. aureus strains from patients (65%) harbored more superantigenic toxin genes than healthy subjects (54%). MRSA (80%) isolated from patients harbored more superantigenic toxin genes than MSSA (52%). Sea was the most frequently found gene in S. aureus strains from patients and carriers. MRSAisolates harbored sea and produced SEA more frequently than MSSA isolates (p <0.05) and MRSA isolates (59%) from blood samples consisted of a higher number of superantigenic toxin producers than MSSA (9%) (p < 0.05). More S. aureus strains isolated from patients with severe septicemia contained superantigenic toxin genes (94%) and produced toxins (82%) than those from non-severe patients (64% and 57%, respectively). The multiplex PCR method described here offers a reliable tool for simultaneous detection of various staphylococcal toxin genes.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Warawan
W
Wongboot
Chariya
C
Chomvarin
Chulapan
C
Engchanil
Prajuab
P
Chaimanee
D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000235:genetics*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D018089:Superantigens