Study of polymorphism spa gene (encoding protein A) of Staphylococcus aureus in clinical isolates and nasal carriers

Mahmoudi , Hassan; Arabestani , Mohammad Reza; Mousavi , Seyed Fazlullah; Ghafel , Safiyeh; Alikhani , Mohammad Yousef

Volume 73, Issue 1 (April 2015) Tehran Univ Med J 2015, 73(1): 24-30 | Back to browse issues page

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Mahmoudi H, Arabestani M R, Mousavi S F, Ghafel S, Alikhani M Y. Study of polymorphism spa gene (encoding protein A) of Staphylococcus aureus in clinical isolates and nasal carriers. Tehran Univ Med J 2015; 73 (1) :24-30
URL: http://tumj.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6570-en.html

Study of polymorphism spa gene (encoding protein A) of Staphylococcus aureus in clinical isolates and nasal carriers

Hassan Mahmoudi¹

, Mohammad Reza Arabestani¹

, Seyed Fazlullah Mousavi²

, Safiyeh Ghafel³

, Mohammad Yousef Alikhani ^*

⁴

1- Brucellosis Research Center and Department of Microbiology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
2- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
3- Department of Microbiology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
4- Brucellosis Research Center and Department of Microbiology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. , alikhani43@yahoo.com

Abstract: (7078 Views)

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is the most important cause of nosocomial infections acquired in the community. Protein A is a major component of Staphylococcus aureus cell wall. In analysis of the nucleotide sequence Protein A encoding spa, locus x consists of 24 base pairs which repeat with high polymorphism. In this study, the spa gene of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical specimens were obtained from patients admitted to the hospital and healthy carriers. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 200 samples were collected. One hundred fifty samples were obtained from hospitalized patients and 50 samples obtained from staff nasal swabs in Hamadan University Hospitals from October 2013 to August 2014. Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibility tests performed. The antibiotics studied were Vancomycin (30 µg), Cefoxitin (15 µg) Gentamicin (10 µg), Tetracycline (30 µg), Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (25 µg), Ciprofloxacin (5 µg), Erythromycin (15 µg), Clindamycin (2 µg), Rifampin (5 µg). The tests performed according to the guidelines of clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI). It also detect the mecA gene of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) and genes spa which encodes the protein A by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method with enzyme Rsa I (Afa I) were prepared. Results: This methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain (MRSA) had the highest sensitivity and resistance to ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Totally, 8 amplicon with different sizes for the spa gene were identified. A total of 9 patterns polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were found. Some of these patterns between Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical specimens and nasal carriers were common. Conclusion: There is a similar pattern of spa gene among patients admitted to the hospital and staff, according to our findings. Analysis of the patterns can reduced transmission of infection in both hospital staff and patients. Also it can help the physicians for correct management of infections.

Keywords: disk diffusion antimicrobial tests, drug resistance, genetic association studies, polymerase chain reaction, polymorphism, spa gene, Staphylococcus aureus

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Type of Study: Original Article |