Characterization of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates in Terengganu

• Main Authors: Ainal Mardziah, Che Hamzah, Chieng, Yeo Chew, Hoong, Chew Ching
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Q Science (General); QH426 Genetics
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/956/1/FH03-FSK-17-08905.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/956/
• Institution: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin

The prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains as potentially lethal pathogens is a matter of great concern worldwide. Often, infections require higher treatment and care. The resistance of the pathogen to various antibiotics is caused by combination effects of several virulence genes. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the patterns of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes circulated amongst MRSA strains isotated from patient in Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ), Kuala Terengganu. A total of 30 MRSA isolates (isolated from 20 pus, eight blood, one eye and one respiratory specimen) were collected from HSNZ. Ten antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed based on the Clinical and Laboratory standards Institute· guidelines and 12 well established virulence genes. i.e. mecA and 11 1 enterotoxin ,genes were screened in order to in depth investigation of the correlation between the virulence factors to the resistance patterns of the MRSA. All 30 isolates were resistant to oxacillin and penicillin follow by 29 (97%) isolates resistant to cefoxitin, 22 (73%) resistant to erythromycin, 16 (53%)· resistant to clindamycin, seven (23%) isolates resistant to isolates resistant to gentamicin and fusidic acid, and five (17%) isolates were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethomethoxazole. All isolates were susceptible to rifampicin and vancomycin. The pattern of the virulence genes varies amongst the 30 isolates, i.e., all 30 isolates carried mecA gene, 14 isolates carried sem and seo genes, 10 isolates carried sea, sei and sen genes, seven isolates carried seg gene, five isolates carried sec and ser genes, four isolates carried seh gene, three isolates carried sel gene and one isolate carried seh gene, three isolates carried sec and one isolates carried seb gene, respectively. In conclusion, multiple antibiotic resistances and virulence genes distributed amongst MRSA isolates were significants. The investigation of virulence patterns in clinical-isolates will be helpful for the implementation of an effective treatment management of the MRSA infection.