scholarly journals Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenicity in Cystic Fibrosis Patients—Results from an Observational Prospective Multicenter Study Concerning Virulence Genes, Phylogeny, and Gene Plasticity

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Lange ◽  
Kathrin Heidenreich ◽  
Katharina Higelin ◽  
Kristina Dyck ◽  
Vanessa Marx ◽  
...  

Staphylococcus aureus and cystic fibrosis (CF) are closely interlinked. To date, however, the impact of S. aureus culture in CF airways on lung function and disease progression has only been elucidated to a limited degree. This analysis aims to identify bacterial factors associated to clinical deterioration. Data were collected during an observational prospective multi-center study following 195 patients from 17 centers. The average follow-up time was 80 weeks. S. aureus isolates (n = 3180) were scanned for the presence of 25 virulence genes and agr-types using single and multiplex PCR. The presence of specific virulence genes was not associated to clinical deterioration. For the agr-types 1 and 4, however, a link to the subjects’ clinical status became evident. Furthermore, a significant longitudinal decrease in the virulence gene quantity was observed. Analyses of the plasticity of the virulence genes revealed significantly increased plasticity rates in the presence of environmental stress. The results suggest that the phylogenetic background defines S. aureus pathogenicity rather than specific virulence genes. The longitudinal loss of virulence genes most likely reflects the adaptation process directed towards a persistent and colonizing rather than infecting lifestyle.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepshikha Bhowmik ◽  
Shiela Chetri ◽  
Bhaskar Jyoti Das ◽  
Debadatta Dhar Chanda ◽  
Amitabha Bhattacharjee

Abstract Objective This study was designed to discover the dissemination of virulence genes in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical, community and environmental settings. Results This study includes 1165 isolates collected from hospital, community and environmental settings. Among them sixty three were confirmed as MRSA with varied SCCmec types viz; type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, type VI, type VII, type VIII and type XII. The virulence gene such as sea (n = 54), seb (n = 21), eta (n = 27), etb (n = 2), cna (n = 24), ica (n = 2) and tst (n = 30) was also revealed from this study. The study underscores coexistence of resistance cassette and virulence genes among clinical and environment isolates which is first of its kind from this part of the world.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuehan Li ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Kai Xu ◽  
Chenglin Li ◽  
Yirong Li

Abstract Background There have been no reports regarding the molecular characteristics, virulence features, and antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from Hainan, the southernmost province of China. Methods Two hundred twenty-seven S. aureus isolates, consisting of 76 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 151 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), were collected in 2013–2014 and 2018–2019 in Hainan, and investigated for their molecular characteristics, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance profiles and main antibiotic resistance genes. Results Forty sequence types (STs) including three new STs (ST5489, ST5492 and ST5493), and 79 Staphylococcal protein A (spa) types were identified based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing, respectively. ST398 (14.1%, 32/227) was found to be the most prevalent, and the prevalence of ST398-MSSA increased significantly from 2013 to 2014 (5.5%, 5/91) to 2018–2019 (18.4%, 25/136). Seventy-six MRSA isolates were subject to staphylococcus chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing. SCCmec-IVa was the predominant SCCmec type, and specifically, ST45-SCCmec IVa, an infrequent type in mainland China, was predominant in S. aureus from Hainan. The antibiotic resistance profiles and antibiotic resistance genes of S. aureus show distinctive features in Hainan. The resistant rates of the MRSA isolates to a variety of antibiotics were significantly higher than those of the MSSA isolates. The predominant erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes were ermC (90.1%, 100/111) and tetK (91.8%, 78/85), respectively. Eleven virulence genes, including the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) and eta, were determined, and the frequency of eta and pvl were found to be 57.3 and 47.6%. Such high prevalence has never been seen in mainland China before. Conclusion S. aureus isolates in Hainan have unique molecular characteristics, virulence gene and antibiotic resistance profiles, and main antibiotic resistance genes which may be associated with the special geographical location of Hainan and local trends in antibiotic use.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepshikha Bhowmik ◽  
Shiela Chetri ◽  
Bhaskar Jyoti Das ◽  
Debadatta Dhar Chanda ◽  
Amitabha Bhattacharjee

Abstract Objective: This study was designed to discover the dissemination of virulence genes in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical and environmental settings. Results: The virulence gene such as sea (n=54), seb (n=21), eta (n=27), etb (n=2), cna (n=24), ica (n=2) and tst (n=30) was revealed from this study. Different SCCmec types such as type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, type VI, type VII, type VIII and type XII were detected among sixty three MRSA isolates where SCCmec type II having ST1551 and type V with ST2416 were found to be associated with multidrug resistance and were highly prevalent in the study area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (6) ◽  
pp. 1019-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Li ◽  
Genzhu Wang ◽  
Ambrose Cheung ◽  
Wessam Abdelhady ◽  
Kati Seidl ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundMgrA is an important global virulence gene regulator in Staphylococcus aureus. In the present study, the role of mgrA in host-pathogen interactions related to virulence was explored in both methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains.MethodsIn vitro susceptibilities to human defense peptides (HDPs), adherence to fibronectin (Fn) and endothelial cells (ECs), EC damage, α-toxin production, expression of global regulator (eg, agr RNAIII) and its downstream effectors (eg, α-toxin [hla] and Fn binding protein A [fnbA]), MgrA binding to fnbA promoter, and the effect on HDP-induced mprF and dltA expression were analyzed. The impact of mgrA on virulence was evaluated using a mouse bacteremia model.ResultsmgrA mutants displayed significantly higher susceptibility to HDPs, which might be related to the decreased HDP-induced mprF and dltA expression but decreased Fn and EC adherence, EC damage, α-toxin production, agr RNAIII, hla and fnbA expression, and attenuated virulence in the bacteremia model as compared to their respective parental and mgrA-complemented strains. Importantly, direct binding of MgrA to the fnbA promoter was observed.ConclusionsThese results suggest that mgrA mediates host-pathogen interactions and virulence and may provide a novel therapeutic target for invasive S. aureus infections.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuehan Li ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Kai Xu ◽  
Chenglin Li ◽  
Yirong Li

Abstract Background: There have been no reports regarding the molecular characteristics, virulence features, and antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) from Hainan, the southernmost province of China. Methods: 227 S. aureus isolates, consisting of 76 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 151 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), were collected in 2013-2014 and 2018-2019 in Hainan, and investigated for their molecular characteristics, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance profiles and main antibiotic resistance genes. Results: Forty sequence types (STs) including three new STs (ST5489, ST5492 and ST5493), and 79 Staphylococcal protein A ( spa ) types were identified based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing, respectively. ST398 (14.1%, 32/227) was found to be the most prevalent, and the prevalence of ST398-MSSA increased significantly from 2013-2014 (5.5%, 5/91) to 2018-2019 (18.4%, 25/136). Seventy-six MRSA isolates were subject to staphylococcus chromosomal cassette mec (SCC mec ) typing. SCC mec- IVa was the predominant SCC mec type, and specifically, ST45-SCC mec IVa, an infrequent type in mainland China, was predominant in S. aureus from Hainan. The antibiotic resistance profiles and antibiotic resistance genes of S . aureus show distinctive features in Hainan. The resistant rates of the MRSA isolates to a variety of antibiotics were significantly higher than those of the MSSA isolates. The predominant erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes were ermC (90.1%, 100/111) and tetK (91.8%, 78/85), respectively. Eleven virulence genes, including the Panton-Valentine leukocidin ( pvl ) and eta , were determined, and the frequency of eta and pvl were found to be 57.3% and 47.6%. Such high prevalence has never been seen in mainland China before. Conclusion: S. aureus isolates in Hainan have unique molecular characteristics, virulence gene and antibiotic resistance profiles, and main antibiotic resistance genes which may be associated with the special geographical location of Hainan and local trends in antibiotic use.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuehan Li ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Kai Xu ◽  
Chenglin Li ◽  
Yirong Li

Abstract Background: There have been no reports regarding the molecular characteristics, virulence features, and antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) from Hainan, the southernmost province of China. Methods: 227 S. aureus isolates, consisting of 76 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 151 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), were collected in 2013-2014 and 2018-2019 in Hainan, and investigated for their molecular characteristics, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance profiles and main antibiotic resistance genes. Results: Forty sequence types (STs) including three new STs (ST5489, ST5492 and ST5493), and 79 Staphylococcal protein A ( spa ) types were identified based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing, respectively. ST398 (14.1%, 32/227) was found to be the most prevalent, and the prevalence of ST398-MSSA increased significantly from 2013-2014 (5.5%, 5/91) to 2018-2019 (18.4%, 25/136). Seventy-six MRSA isolates were subject to staphylococcus chromosomal cassette mec (SCC mec ) typing. SCC mec- IVa was the predominant SCC mec type, and specifically, ST45-SCC mec IVa, an infrequent type in mainland China, was predominant in S. aureus from Hainan. The antibiotic resistance profiles and antibiotic resistance genes of S . aureus show distinctive features in Hainan. The resistant rates of the MRSA isolates to a variety of antibiotics were significantly higher than those of the MSSA isolates. The predominant erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes were ermC (90.1%, 100/111) and tetK (91.8%, 78/85), respectively. Eleven virulence genes, including the Panton-Valentine leukocidin ( pvl ) and eta , were determined, and the frequency of eta and pvl were found to be 57.3% and 47.6%. Such high prevalence has never been seen in mainland China before. Conclusion: S. aureus isolates in Hainan have unique molecular characteristics, virulence gene and antibiotic resistance profiles, and main antibiotic resistance genes which may be associated with the special geographical location of Hainan and local trends in antibiotic use.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1151
Author(s):  
Beata Sadowska ◽  
Urszula Wójcik ◽  
Justyna Krzyżanowska-Kowalczyk ◽  
Mariusz Kowalczyk ◽  
Anna Stochmal ◽  
...  

The justification for the use of herbal supplements with Pulmonaria officinalis L. extract (POE) in the case of staphylococcal lung colonization/infections characteristic for cystic fibrosis (CF), was examined in vitro. The impact of POE phenolic-rich fraction on the virulence attributes of CF-associated Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) clinical strains has been assessed, including pathogen adhesion, biofilm formation on native and protein-conditioned surfaces (mucin, elastin), mature biofilm eradication, staphylococcal protein A expression, α-toxin release, and S. a. adhesion to A549 cells. Cytotoxicity of the extract to lung epithelial cells was also investigated. It was found that POE has bacteriostatic effects at MIC 1–2 mg/mL, recognized as of limited efficacy, but at MIC/subMICs it targeted virulence not viability. It usually decreased S. aureus adhesion and less frequently inhibited biofilm formation on native and protein-conditioned surfaces. Observed effect seems to be related to significant reduction by POE of sortase A activity. However, in some cases POE favored the creation of biofilm by staphylococci and S. aureus adhesion to the lung epithelium was not limited. On the other side POE caused significant decrease of S. a. α-toxin synthesis and slightly weakened the expression of SpA. When used at supraMICs POE eradicated mature biofilm, but in some cases with unsatisfying outcomes. Promisingly, POE has been recognized as a safe product, with no cytotoxicity up to 4 mg/mL. These results reflect the positive, negative or neutral anti-staphylococcal properties of POE. It seems that POE may be beneficial as a prophylactic, but not as a therapeutic or supportive agent in the area of CF—integrative medicine. However, introduction the official recommendations needs further in vivo studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 3453-3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Antonelli ◽  
Tommaso Giani ◽  
Marco Coppi ◽  
Vincenzo Di Pilato ◽  
Fabio Arena ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus from hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) in Italy and the susceptibility to ceftobiprole and comparators of MSSA and MRSA isolates. A secondary objective was to characterize the clonality and acquired resistance and virulence genes of MRSA. Methods Consecutive non-replicate isolates from HAP were collected from 13 laboratories distributed across Italy, from January to May 2016. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution, and results were interpreted according to the EUCAST breakpoints. All MRSA isolates were subjected to WGS using an Illumina platform. Clonality and resistance and virulence gene content were investigated with bioinformatics tools. Results Among 333 isolates from HAP, S. aureus was the third most common pathogen (18.6%). The proportion of MRSA was 40.3%. Susceptibility to ceftobiprole was 100% for MSSA and 95.5% for MRSA. Lower susceptibility rates of 78.4% and 94.6% in MSSA and 36.4% and 12.1% in MRSA isolates were observed for erythromycin and levofloxacin, respectively. The MRSA from HAP mostly belonged to clonal complex (CC) 22 (47.0%), CC5 (25.8%) and CC8 (15.2%), with a minority of other lineages (ST1, ST6, ST7, ST30, ST152 and ST398). Acquired resistance and virulence genes in most cases exhibited a clonal distribution. The three ceftobiprole-resistant isolates exhibited an MIC of 4 mg/L and belonged to ST228-MRSA-I of CC5. Conclusions S. aureus is an important cause of HAP in Italy. Ceftobiprole exhibited good in vitro activity against S. aureus isolated from HAP, including MRSA. A trend to replacement of ST228 with ST22 was noticed compared with previous studies.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 230
Author(s):  
Cassandra Pouget ◽  
Claude-Alexandre Gustave ◽  
Christelle Ngba-Essebe ◽  
Frédéric Laurent ◽  
Emmanuel Lemichez ◽  
...  

Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen isolated from diabetic foot infections (DFIs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its behavior in an in vitro model mimicking the conditions encountered in DFI. Four clinical S. aureus strains were cultivated for 16 weeks in a specific environment based on the wound-like medium biofilm model. The adaptation of isolates was evaluated as follows: by Caenorhabditis elegans model (to evaluate virulence); by quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) (to evaluate expression of the main virulence genes); and by Biofilm Ring test® (to assess the biofilm formation). After 16 weeks, the four S. aureus had adapted their metabolism, with the development of small colony variants and the loss of b-hemolysin expression. The in vivo nematode model suggested a decrease of virulence, confirmed by qRT-PCRs, showing a significant decrease of expression of the main staphylococcal virulence genes tested, notably the toxin-encoding genes. An increased expression of genes involved in adhesion and biofilm was noted. Our data based on an in vitro model confirm the impact of environment on the adaptation switch of S. aureus to prolonged stress environmental conditions. These results contribute to explore and characterize the virulence of S. aureus in chronic wounds.


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