Infections Caused By Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus European Clone (ST80) In Slovenia Between 2006 And 2013: PRIKAZ PRIMEROV OKUŽB, POVZROČENIH S PROTI METICILINU ODPORNO BAKTERIJO STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS, DOMAČEGA OKOLJA, KI PRIPADA EVROPSKEMU KLONU (ST80) V SLOVENIJI V OBDOBJU MED 2006 IN 2013.
BACKGROUND
According to the existing literature, a heterogeneous sequence type (ST) or clones of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) circulate in Europe. In Europe, the European clone that belongs to sequence type ST80 is predominant.


METHODS
The aim of the study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and epidemiological data of CA-MRSA ST80 and its occurrence in Slovenia. We retrospectively analyzed those CA-MRSA isolates that were isolated during microbiological procedures in microbiological laboratories between 2006 and 2013. Only CA-MRSA isolates from the national collection of CA-MRSA strains that belonged to ST80 (European clone) were analyzed. We determined the Pantone-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), mec A genes, exfoliative toxin genes and type of staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We determined also spa type and sequence type.


RESULTS
ST80 was confirmed in only 2 (0.5%) out of 385 CA-MRSA isolates, collected in a national collection of CAMRSA. Both isolates were positive for the PVL genes, mec A gene, exfoliative toxin type D gene and SCCmec IV. One CA-MRSA isolate was confirmed in a wound swab taken from a 47-year-old male, and the second was isolated from blood cultures of a 69-year-old female. No epidemiological connections between them were found.


CONCLUSIONS
In Slovenia CA-MRSA infections caused by ST80 are rare. In the future, it is necessary that a surveillance study of CA-MRSA at the national level continues and CA-MRSA be considered as a public health threat.
National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH), Department of Medical Microbiology, Gosposvetska ulica 12, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia.
Urška
U
Dermota
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Department of Infectious Diseases, Japljeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tomaž
T
Jurca
National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH), Department of Medical Microbiology, Mej vrti 5, 8000 Novo mesto, Slovenia.
Tatjana
T
Harlander
National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), Regional Unit Novo mesto, Mej vrti 5, 8000 Novo mesto, Slovenia.
Marta
M
Košir
Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Urška
U
Zajc
Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Majda
M
Golob
Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Irena
I
Zdovc
National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH), Department of Medical Microbiology, Gosposvetska ulica 12, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia.
Irena Grmek
IG
Košnik
CA-MRSA; ST80 (European clone); ST80 (evropski klon); Slovenia; Slovenija; death; invasive infections; invazivne okužbe; smrt