Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from the Oral Cavity: Phage Susceptibility in Relation to Antibiotic Resistance

Nowadays, research on bacteriophage therapy and its potential use in combination with antibiotics has been gaining momentum. One hundred and ten oral Staphylococcus aureus isolates were phage-typed and their antibiotic resistance was determined by standard and molecular methods. The prevalence of MSSA and MRSA strains was 89.1% and 10.9%, respectively. Nearly all (91.8%) analyzed isolates, whether MSSA or MRSA, were susceptible to the phages used from the international set. The highest lytic activity showed phages 79 and 52 A from lytic group I. The predominant phage groups were mixed, the I+III group and a mixed group containing phages from at least three various lytic groups. S. aureus strains sensitive to phage group I were usually resistant to penicillin and susceptible to ciprofloxacin, whereas the strains typeable with group V or group V with the 95 phage were susceptible to most antibiotics. Epidemic CA-MRSA strains (SCCmecIV) of phage type 80/81 carried Panton–Valentine leucocidin genes. Considering the high sensitivity of oral S. aureus to the analyzed phages and the promising results of phage therapies reported by other authors, phage cocktails or phage-antibiotic combinations may potentially find applications in both the prevention and eradication of staphylococcal infections.

Download Full-text

Enterotoxins and toxic-shock syndrome toxin-1 in non-enteric staphylococcal disease

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800050901 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 110 (3) ◽

pp. 477-488 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

R. R. Marples ◽

A. A. Wieneke

Keyword(s):

Toxic Shock Syndrome ◽

Phage Type ◽

Food Poisoning ◽

Sudden Infant Death ◽

Sudden Infant ◽

Toxic Shock ◽

Group V ◽

Phage Group ◽

Group I ◽

Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin

SUMMARYOver the 7 years 1985–91, 997 strains of Staphylococcus aureus from 962 patients with diseases other than food poisoning have been tested for the production of enterotoxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) and phage typed. In all, 128 cases could be classified as confirmed or probable toxic shock syndrome (TSS) but a further 199 cases were classified as possible or unconfirmed TSS. In 219 cases, an alternative diagnosis could be supported and 45 cases were classified as sudden infant death syndrome. In 371 cases, insufficient information for classification was available.Strains of phage group I producing TSST-1 were associated with menstrual TSS. Many menstrual TSS cases were aged less than 20 and were using non-introducer tampons.When all strains were reviewed, strong associations were observed between TSST-1 production and phage group I strains, enterotoxin B production and group V strains, enterotoxin C and phage-type 95 strains and between enterotoxin A without TSST-1 and phage group III strains.

Download Full-text

Changing patterns among the subgroups of strains of Staphylococcus aureus of phage group II in Danish hospitals from 1961–91

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800057447 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 112 (1) ◽

pp. 81-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

N. H. R. Eriksen ◽

S. H. Hartzen ◽

J. Bangsborg ◽

L. P. Andersen ◽

V. T. Rosdahl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Phage Type ◽

Antibiotic Resistant ◽

Phage Group ◽

Phage Types ◽

Changing Patterns ◽

Group Ii ◽

Type Strains ◽

Observation Period

SummaryDuring the period 1961–91 a total of 567 635 strains of Staphylococcus aureus from hospitalized patients in Denmark have been characterized according to their antibiotic resistance, site of isolation and phage type. Strains of phage group II (typed by the phages 3A, 3C, 55 and 71) have been analysed further. The occurrence of group II strains was relatively constant (approximately 16%) from 1961 until 1983. Since then the frequency of group II strains increased; in 1991 they accounted for 22.7% of all S. aureus strains isolated. Strains of group II can, on the basis of their phage types, be divided in four subgroups: 3A, 71, 71 + and the ‘rest of group II’. Furthermore, within these groups strains may differ from one another in respect to their sensitivity to phages.The increased isolation of group II strains during recent years was because of an increase in strains of subgroups 71 + and the ‘rest of group II strains’. In 1991 these two subgroups accounted for 89.7% of all group II strains. Furthermore, an increasing number of group II strains, 71.4% in 1991, was typable only at RTD × 100. The increase in the number of group II strains was even throughout Denmark. All four subgroups of group II have, during the observation period, become more frequently resistant to penicillin and/or tetracycline. Strains typed at 100 × RTD of subgroup 71 + and the ‘rest of group II’ are more frequently antibiotic resistant than the rest of the group II strains.Strains of the increasing subgroups occurred most often in abscesses.

Download Full-text

PHAGE GROUPS AND ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ASSOCIATED WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS OF THE PANCREAS

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.24.1.40 ◽

1959 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 40-42

Author(s):

Fred E. Pittman ◽

Calderon Howe ◽

Louise Goode ◽

Paul A. di Sant'Agnese

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Phage Type ◽

Antibiotic Sensitivity ◽

Phage Group ◽

Staph Aureus ◽

Group Iii

In this study, 198 strains of hemolytic, coagulase-positive Staph. aureus were recovered from 84 patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas and some of their relatives. The majority of the organisms fell into phage group III and were resistant in vitro to penicillin and other antibiotics. No single phage type seemed to be unduly prevalent in this group of patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas.

Download Full-text

The egg yolk reaction ofStaphylococcus aureusisolated from burns

Journal of Hygiene ◽

10.1017/s0022172400039954 ◽

1964 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 229-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

E. J. L. Lowbury ◽

B. J. Collins

Keyword(s):

Mercuric Chloride ◽

Phage Type ◽

Egg Yolk ◽

Negative Reaction ◽

Phage Group ◽

Staph Aureus ◽

Group Iii ◽

Group I

Staph. aureusfrom burns of in-patients were tested for egg yolk reaction during three periods; in 1958 and in 1960 approximately 80 % of the strains gave a negative reaction (EY-), but in 1962 only 36 % of the strains were egg yolk negative.Staphylococci of phage group III were more commonly EY- than those of other groups isolated from burns. Within each of groups I and III, however, there were patterns predominantly EY- and others predominantly egg yolk positive (EY+); in group I the majority of strains isolated in 1960 were of phage type 52 and EY-, while those isolated in 1962 were predominantly of phage type 80 or related patterns which were always EY+.Most of the staphylococci in burns were resistant to penicillin, tetracycline and erythromycin; within groups I and III, the staphylococci which were EY- were also more commonly resistant than EY+ strains to these three antibiotics.Most of the staphylococci from burns were mercuric chloride resistant (presumptive epidemic strains); of the mercuric chloride sensitive staphylococci, the proportion of EY+ strains was greater than that of EY- strains.

Download Full-text

Comparison of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Cellulitis and from Osteomyelitis in a Taiwan Hospital, 2016–2018

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8060816 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 816 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kuo-Ti Peng ◽

Tsung-Yu Huang ◽

Yao-Chang Chiang ◽

Yu-Yi Hsu ◽

Fang-Yi Chuang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Joint Infection ◽

Sccmec Type ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Mrsa Strains ◽

Resistance Rates

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes superficial infections such as cellulitis or invasive infections such as osteomyelitis; however, differences in MRSA isolates from cellulitis (CL-MRSA) and from osteomyelitis (OM-MRSA) at the same local area remain largely unknown. A total of 221 MRSA isolates including 106 CL-MRSA strains and 115 OM-MRSA strains were collected at Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan between 2016 and 2018, and their genotypic and phenotypic characteristics were compared. We found that OM-MRSA isolates significantly exhibited higher rates of resistance to multiple antibiotics than CL-MRSA isolates. Genotypically, OM-MRSA isolates had higher proportions of the SCCmec type III, the sequence type ST239, and the spa type t037 than CL-MRSA isolates. Besides the multidrug-resistant lineage ST239-t037-SCCmecIII more prevalent in OM-MRSA, higher antibiotic resistance rates were also observed in several other prevalent lineages in OM-MRSA as compared to the same lineages in CL-MRSA. Furthermore, when prosthetic joint infection (PJI) associated and non-PJI-associated MRSA strains in osteomyelitis were compared, no significant differences were observed in antibiotic resistance rates between the two groups, albeit more diverse genotypes were found in non-PJI-associated MRSA. Our findings therefore suggest that deep infections may allow MRSA to evade antibiotic attack and facilitate the convergent evolution and selection of multidrug-resistant lineages.

Download Full-text

Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Gene Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Isolated from Healthy Edible Marine Fish

International Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1155/2020/9803903 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Justine Fri ◽

Henry A. Njom ◽

Collins N. Ateba ◽

Roland N. Ndip

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Marine Fish ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Virulence Gene ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Vancomycin Mics ◽

Resistant Strains ◽

Mrsa Strains

Thirty-three (33) isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from healthy edible marine fish harvested from two aquaculture settings and the Kariega estuary, South Africa, were characterised in this study. The phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profiles to 13 antibiotics were determined, and their antibiotic resistance determinants were assessed. A multiplex PCR was used to determine the epidemiological groups based on the type of SCCmec carriage followed by the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin-encoding genes sea-sed and the Panton Valentine leucocidin gene (pvl). A high antibiotic resistance percentage (67–81%) was observed for Erythromycin, Ampicillin, Rifampicin, and Clindamycin, while maximum susceptibility to Chloramphenicol (100%), Imipenem (100%), and Ciprofloxacin (94%) was recorded. Nineteen (58%) of the MRSA strains had Vancomycin MICs of ≤2 μg/mL, 4 (12%) with MICs ranging from 4–8 μg/mL, and 10 (30%) with values ≥16 μg/mL. Overall, 27 (82%) isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) with Erythromycin-Ampicillin-Rifampicin-Clindamycin (E-AMP-RIP-CD) found to be the dominant antibiotic-resistance phenotype observed in 4 isolates. Resistance genes such as tetM, tetA, ermB, blaZ, and femA were detected in two or more resistant strains. A total of 19 (58%) MRSA strains possessed SCCmec types I, II, or III elements, characteristic of healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), while 10 (30%) isolates displayed SCCmec type IVc, characteristic of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). Six (18%) of the multidrug-resistant strains of MRSA were enterotoxigenic, harbouring the see, sea, or sec genes. A prevalence of 18% (6/33) was also recorded for the luk-PVL gene. The findings of this study showed that marine fish contained MDR-MRSA strains that harbour SCCmec types, characteristic of either HA-MRSA or CA-MRSA, but with a low prevalence of enterotoxin and pvl genes. Thus, there is a need for continuous monitoring and implementation of better control strategies within the food chain to minimise contamination of fish with MDR-MRSA and the ultimate spread of the bug.

Download Full-text

Quorum Sensing, Virulence, and Antibiotic Resistance of USA100 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates

mSphere ◽

10.1128/msphere.00553-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Morgan L. Grundstad ◽

Corey P. Parlet ◽

Jakub M. Kwiecinski ◽

Jeffrey S. Kavanaugh ◽

Heidi A. Crosby ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Skin Infection ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Sensing System ◽

Strain Collection ◽

Quorum Sensing System ◽

Mrsa Strains

ABSTRACT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections impact all patient populations both in the community and in health care settings. Despite advances in our knowledge of MRSA virulence, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of USA100 health care-associated MRSA isolates, which are the second most frequently identified MRSA isolates found in all infections. This work focused on the contribution of the USA100 agr type II quorum-sensing system to virulence and antibiotic resistance. From a MRSA strain collection, we selected 16 representative USA100 isolates, constructed mutants with Δagr mutations, and characterized selected strain pairs for virulence factor expression, murine skin infection, and antibiotic resistance. For each strain pair, hemolysis and extracellular protease expression were significantly greater in the wild-type (WT) strains than in the Δagr mutants. Similarly, mice challenged with the WT strains had larger areas of dermonecrosis and greater weight loss than those challenged with the Δagr mutants, demonstrating that the USA100 agr system regulates virulence. Although USA100 isolates exhibit a high level of antibiotic resistance, the WT and Δagr strain pairs showed no difference in MICs by MIC testing. However, in the presence of a sub-MIC of vancomycin, most of the USA100 Δagr mutants exhibited slower growth than the WT isolates, and a couple of the Δagr mutants also grew more slowly in the presence of a sub-MIC of cefoxitin. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the USA100 agr system is a critical regulator of virulence, and it may have a contribution to the optimal survival of these MRSA strains in the presence of antibiotics. IMPORTANCE USA100 health care-associated MRSA isolates are highly antibiotic resistant and can cause invasive disease across all patient populations. Even though USA100 strains are some of the most frequently identified causes of infections, little is known about virulence regulation in these isolates. Our study demonstrates that the USA100 agr quorum-sensing system is important for the control of toxin and exoenzyme production and that the agr system has a key role in skin infection. In some USA100 isolates, the agr system is important for growth in the presence of low levels of antibiotics. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the USA100 agr system is a critical regulator of virulence and that it may make a contribution to the optimal survival of these MRSA strains in the presence of antibiotics.

Download Full-text

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST80 Clone: A Systematic Review

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins12020119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 119 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Assia Mairi ◽

Abdelaziz Touati ◽

Jean-Philippe Lavigne

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Sampling Period ◽

Spa Typing ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Resistance Patterns ◽

Mrsa Strains ◽

Spa Type

This review assessed the molecular characterization of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-ST80 clone with an emphasis on its proportion of total MRSA strains isolated, PVL production, spa-typing, antibiotic resistance, and virulence. A systematic review of the literature was conducted on MRSA-ST80 clone published between 1 January 2000 and 31 August 2019. Citations were chosen for a review of the full text if we found evidence that MRSA-ST80 clone was reported in the study. For each isolate, the country of isolation, the sampling period, the source of isolation (the type of infection, nasal swabs, or extra-human), the total number of MRSA strains isolated, number of MRSA-ST80 strains, antibiotic resistance patterns, PVL production, virulence genes, and spa type were recorded. The data from 103 articles were abstracted into an Excel database. Analysis of the data showed that the overall proportion of MRSA-ST80 has been decreasing in many countries in recent years. The majority of MRSA-ST80 were PVL positive with spa-type t044. Only six reports of MRSA-ST80 in extra-human niches were found. This review summarizes the rise of MRSA-ST80 and the evidence that suggests that it could be in decline in many countries.

Download Full-text

Staphylococcus aureus prevalence among hospitalized patients

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina44080077 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 44 (8) ◽

pp. 593

Author(s):

Žaneta Pavilonytė ◽

Renata Kaukėnienė ◽

Aleksandras Antuševas ◽

Alvydas Pavilonis

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Prevalence Rate ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Phage Type ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Diffusion Method ◽

Phage Group ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Group Iii ◽

Group Ii

Objective. To determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus strains among hospitalized patients at the beginning of their hospitalization and during their treatment and the resistance of strains to antibiotics, and to evaluate epidemiologic characteristics of these strains. Patients and methods. Sixty-one patients treated at the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery were examined. Identification of Staphylococcus aureus strains was performed using plasmacoagulase and DNase tests. The resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to antibiotics, b-lactamase production, phagotypes, and phagogroups were determined. The isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains were tested for resistance to methicillin by performing disc diffusion method using commercial discs (Oxoid) (methicillin 5 mg per disk and oxacillin 1 mg per disk). Results. A total of 297 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated. On the first day of hospitalization, the prevalence rate of Staphylococcus aureus strains among patients was 67.3%, and it statistically significantly increased to 91.8% on days 7–10 of hospitalization (P<0.05). During hospitalization, patients were colonized with Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant to cephalothin (17.6% of patients, P<0.05), cefazolin (14.6%, P<0.05), tetracycline (15.0%, P<0.05), gentamicin (37.7%, P<0.001), doxycycline (30.7%, P<0.001), and tobramycin (10.6%, P>0.05). Three patients (4.9%) were colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, belonging to phage group II phage type 3A and phage group III phage types 83A and 77; 22.6– 25.5% of Staphylococcus aureus strains were nontypable. During hospitalization, the prevalence rate of phage group II Staphylococcus aureus strains decreased from 39.6% to 5.7% (P<0.05) and the prevalence rate of phage group III Staphylococcus aureus strains increased to 29.5% (P<0.001). Conclusions. Although our understanding of Staphylococcus aureus is increasing, well-designed communitybased studies with adequate risk factor analysis are required to elucidate further the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus provides relevant information on the extent of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic, identifies priorities for infection control and the need for adjustments in antimicrobial drug policy, and guides intervention programs.

Download Full-text

Role of the msaABCR Operon in Cell Wall Biosynthesis, Autolysis, Integrity, and Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.00680-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 63 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bibek G C ◽

Gyan S. Sahukhal ◽

Mohamed O. Elasri

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Cell Wall ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Teichoic Acid ◽

Cross Linking ◽

Wall Defect ◽

Content Type ◽

Mrsa Strains ◽

Mutant Cells

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen in both community and health care settings. One of the challenges with S. aureus as a pathogen is its acquisition of antibiotic resistance. Previously, we showed that deletion of the msaABCR operon reduces cell wall thickness, resulting in decreased resistance to vancomycin in vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA). In this study, we investigated the nature of the cell wall defect in the msaABCR operon mutant in the Mu50 (VISA) and USA300 LAC methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Results showed that msaABCR mutant cells had decreased cross-linking in both strains. This defect is typically due to increased murein hydrolase activity and/or nonspecific processing of murein hydrolases mediated by increased protease activity in mutant cells. The defect was enhanced by a decrease in teichoic acid content in the msaABCR mutant. Therefore, we propose that deletion of the msaABCR operon results in decreased peptidoglycan cross-linking, leading to increased susceptibility toward cell wall-targeting antibiotics, such as β-lactams and vancomycin. Moreover, we also observed significantly downregulated transcription of early cell wall-synthesizing genes, supporting the finding that msaABCR mutant cells have decreased peptidoglycan synthesis. More specifically, the msaABCR mutant in the USA300 LAC strain (MRSA) showed significantly reduced expression of the murA gene, whereas the msaABCR mutant in the Mu50 strain (VISA) showed significantly reduced expression of glmU, murA, and murD. Thus, we conclude that the msaABCR operon controls the balance between cell wall synthesis and cell wall hydrolysis, which is required for maintaining a robust cell wall and acquiring resistance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, such as vancomycin and the β-lactams.

Download Full-text