Molecular characterization and susceptibility screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus reveals the dominant clones in a tertiary care hospital in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus has become an important pathogen in hospitals worldwide. Despite its differentiation into human and animal lineages, common methods are used for genotyping. While these methods are useful, they are based on the stable genome, and hence, are insensitive to host-specific subtyping. The objectives of this study were to investigate the repeat-domain of the Clumping-Factor A gene (clfA-R) as an objective and adaptation-sensitive approach.


Methodology: We have used 113 isolates for susceptibility testing and genotyping by polymerase chain reaction amplification of the clfA-R regions. Of these, 105 were from King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraidah and eight were published sequences used as references. Isolates were further confirmed as S. aureus by the commercial Kits. Amplicon sizes were measured and the number of the 18-bp-repeating-units in each isolate was determined against that of methicillin-resistant S. aureus COL (MRSA) sequence.


Results: Results showed that all 42 nasal screening isolates (100%) and all but six isolates from clinical specimens were MRSA with 37% of the former and 50% of the latter isolates showing community-acquired-MRSA susceptibility patterns. clfA-R analysis grouped 113 isolates into 14 repeat-genotypes. The two dominant types, D and X, represented the long- and short clfA-R types found in humans and animals, respectively. Linezolid, rifampicin, and vancomycin were the drugs of choice.


Conclusions: clfA-R was useful in rapid genotyping and implied host-specific phenotypic properties of the ClfA. It has been recommended that the approach used in regional laboratories for uniform strain-profiling. Future work will show more insights into the gene content and origins of clones.


 

Keywords:

Molecular epidemiology molecular typing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening Staphylococcus aureus
Said, K. B., Aljarbou, A. N., Alorainy, M. S., Saeed, E. M. A., & Hassan, K. M. (2019). Molecular characterization and susceptibility screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus reveals the dominant clones in a tertiary care hospital in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Health Sciences, 14(1). Retrieved from https://pub.qu.edu.sa/index.php/journal/article/view/4588
Copyright and license info is not available

Author Biographies

Kamaleldin B Said, Qassim University

As Prof. of molecular microbiology and infectious diseases

Department of Pharmaceutics

Ahmed N. Aljarbou, 1. College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia. Alghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Scieces, Jeddah, Al-Rihab Colony, Al-haramain Rd, Saudi Arabia

Dean of the Alghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Scieces, Jeddah, Al-Rihab Colony, Al-haramain Rd, Saudi Arabia

Mohamed S. Alorainy, Associate professor, College of Pharmacy and Medicine, Qassim University

Department of Clinical Pharmacy

Elhassan M. A. Saeed, 5. Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.

Assist Professor

Khalid M. Hassan, 2. King Fahad Specialist Hospital, 3187 Annaziya, Buraydah 52366, Saudi Arabia

MD and Public Health Practioner, Ministry of Healtg