title: Virulence Factors in Staphylococci Isolated From Nasal Cavities of Footballers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the rate of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin producing Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin (mecA) and slime (icaA/icaD) genes in staphylococcal strains isolated from nasal cavities of footballers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasal swab samples were taken from each footballers and a healthy control group for the isolation of staphylococcal strains. The polymerase chain reaction technique was used to determine Panton-Valentine Leukocidin, mecA and icaA/icaD genes in staphylococcal isolates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 91 S. aureus strains, the presence of mecA gene was detected as 9.9%. This ratio was 17.9% (27 of 151) among the coagulase-negative staphylococci. A significant difference was found between coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus isolates regarding the presence of mecA gene (P < 0.001). As for the genes of the slime, icaA/icaD genes were detected in 198 of 242 (81.8%) strains. The occurrence of slime genes was 91.2% and 89.4% among the S. aureus coagulase and negative staphylococci, respectively (P > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between the frequency of the mecA and slime genes when compared with the healthy control group and the football players (P < 0.01). Of 91 isolates, 22 were found to be methicillin resistant by the oxacillin disc diffusion method, whereas the remaining (220) were methicillin susceptible. Methicillin resistance was detected as 14.9% by the polymerase chain reaction method, whereas it was found as 9.1% by phenotypic methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early and accurate diagnosis of virulent staphylococcal strains is crucial because the virulent coagulase-negative and coagulase-positive staphylococcal strains in the nasal floras of footballers may be major potential sources of superficial and deep tissue infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Mustafa Kemal University, İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye. Electronic address: nduran@mku.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Nizami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Sport High School, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Health College, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Gulay Gulbol
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Mustafa Kemal University, İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Mustafa Kemal University, İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Cetin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kilinc
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Sport High School, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Mustafa Kemal University, İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Naciye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eryilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Mustafa Kemal University, İskenderun, Hatay, Türkiye.
authors.forename: Suphi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayraktar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012916:Soccer; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
keywords: Footballer; Paton-Valentine leukocidin; Slime; Staphylococci; mecA