<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Methicillin-resistant <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> (MRSA) is a significant opportunistic pathogen with a wide repertoire of virulence characteristics. Data regarding the molecular profile of MRSA in Northern Cyprus is limited. The current study aimed to examine the virulence profiles of MRSA with a focus on toxin-associated factors. Ninety-one <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates collected at a university hospital were included in the study. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed with BD Phoenix™ automated system. Methicillin resistance was evaluated by the disc diffusion assay and <italic>mecA</italic> detection. The presence of <italic>nuc</italic> was confirmed by conventional PCR. Confirmed MRSA isolates were assessed for the presence of virulence genes <italic>hla</italic>, <italic>eta</italic>, <italic>etb</italic>, <italic>etd</italic> and <italic>tst</italic> using molecular methods. Among 91 <italic>S. aureus</italic> isolates identified as MRSA using the BD Phoenix™ platform, 80.85% (n = 76/91) were confirmed as MRSA using phenotypic and genotypic methods. All confirmed MRSA isolates (n = 76, 100%) were positive for the <italic>nuc</italic>. MRSA rates were statistically higher in elderly inpatients. The prevalence of toxin-encoding genes was 97.3% (n = 74/76) for <italic>hla</italic>, 2.63% (n = 2/76) for <italic>eta</italic>, 1.3% (n = 1/76) for <italic>etb</italic>, and 2.63% (n = 2/76) for <italic>tst</italic>. None of the screened isolates harbored the <italic>etd</italic> gene. These results represent the first report to investigate multiple virulence factors in MRSA isolates in Northern Cyprus.</p><p><fig id="j_pjm-2022-042_fig_001a" position="float" fig-type="figure">
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</fig></p></abstract>

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant opportunistic pathogen with a wide repertoire of virulence characteristics. Data regarding the molecular profile of MRSA in Northern Cyprus is limited. The current study aimed to examine the virulence profiles of MRSA with a focus on toxin-associated factors. Ninety-one S. aureus isolates collected at a university hospital were included in the study. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed with BD Phoenix™ automated system. Methicillin resistance was evaluated by the disc diffusion assay and mecA detection. The presence of nuc was confirmed by conventional PCR. Confirmed MRSA isolates were assessed for the presence of virulence genes hla, eta, etb, etd and tst using molecular methods. Among 91 S. aureus isolates identified as MRSA using the BD Phoenix™ platform, 80.85% (n = 76/91) were confirmed as MRSA using phenotypic and genotypic methods. All confirmed MRSA isolates (n = 76, 100%) were positive for the nuc. MRSA rates were statistically higher in elderly inpatients. The prevalence of toxin-encoding genes was 97.3% (n = 74/76) for hla, 2.63% (n = 2/76) for eta, 1.3% (n = 1/76) for etb, and 2.63% (n = 2/76) for tst. None of the screened isolates harbored the etd gene. These results represent the first report to investigate multiple virulence factors in MRSA isolates in Northern Cyprus.

Screening of Toxin Genes in Methicillin-Resistant <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> Clinical Isolates from a Hospital Setting in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Cyprus

Polish Journal of Microbiology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Screening of Toxin Genes in Methicillin-Resistant  Clinical Isolates from a Hospital Setting in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Cyprus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant opportunistic pathogen with a wide repertoire of virulence characteristics. Data regarding...

Screening of Toxin Genes in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates from a Hospital Setting in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Cyprus

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: Nov 12, 2022

Page range: 491 - 497

Received: Jun 23, 2022

Accepted: Aug 29, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2022-042

Keywords
methicillin-resistant, toxins, virulence, Northern Cyprus

© 2022 Tchamou M.F. Potindji et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Screening of Toxin Genes in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates from a Hospital Setting in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Cyprus

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: Nov 12, 2022

Page range: 491 - 497

Received: Jun 23, 2022

Accepted: Aug 29, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2022-042

Keywordsmethicillin-resistant, toxins, virulence, Northern Cyprus

© 2022 Tchamou M.F. Potindji et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
methicillin-resistant, toxins, virulence, Northern Cyprus