title: Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from skin and soft tissue infections samples and healthy carriers in the Central Slovenia region.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is among the most important human pathogens. It is associated with different infections and is a major cause of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). The aim of our study was to compare S. aureus isolates associated with SSTIs with isolates obtained from healthy carriers in the Central Slovenia region in terms of antimicrobial susceptibility, genetic diversity by clonal complex (CC)/sequence type, spa type, and by toxin gene profiling. In total, 274 S. aureus isolates were collected prospectively by culturing wound samples from 461 SSTI patients and nasal samples from 451 healthy carriers. We have demonstrated high heterogeneity in terms of CCs and spa type in both groups of isolates. The main clone among SSTI strains was Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene (pvl) positive CC121, whereas the main clone among carrier strains was CC45 carrying a large range of toxin genes. The main spa type in both groups was t091. Pvl was more frequently present in SSTI strains (31.2% SSTI vs 3.6% carrier strains) and staphylococcal enterotoxin C was more frequently present in carrier strains (1.6% SSTI vs 17.0% carrier strains). We have also demonstrated that methicillin-resistant S. aureus was a rare cause (2.8%) of SSTIs in our region.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Svent-Kucina
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mateja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirs
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kofol
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Rok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blagus
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Infections, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Dragica Maja
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smrke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Safety, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilban
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seme
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D017524:Slovenia; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; C034959:enterotoxin C, staphylococcal
keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; multilocus sequence typing; skin and soft tissue infections; spa type; toxin gene profiling