Investigation of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Genes and SCCmec Types in Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Turkey

• Published in: Microbial drug resistance (Larchmont, N.Y.) Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 23 - 210
• Main Authors: Karahan, Zeynep Ceren, Tekeli, Alper, Adaleti, Riza, Koyuncu, Esra, Dolapci, Istar, Akan, Ozay Arikan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.09.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibiotics; Bacterial Toxins - genetics; Bacterial Toxins - isolation & purification; Child; Chromosomes, Bacterial - genetics; Community-Acquired Infections - epidemiology; Community-Acquired Infections - genetics; Community-Acquired Infections - microbiology; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - genetics; Cross Infection - microbiology; Drug resistance; Drug therapy; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Epidemiology; Exotoxins - genetics; Exotoxins - isolation & purification; Female; Genes; Genes, Bacterial; Genetic aspects; Hospitals; Humans; Inpatients; Leukocidins - genetics; Leukocidins - isolation & purification; Male; Methicillin Resistance - genetics; Middle Aged; Outpatients; Prevalence; Public health; Risk Factors; Staphylococcal infections; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - genetics; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Staphylococcus aureus - virology; Staphylococcus infections; Turkey - epidemiology; Turkey
• ISSN: 1076-6294; 1931-8448
• DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2008.0811

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an important virulence determinant of Staphylococcus aureus . The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PVL genes in clinical S. aureus isolates and to determine the staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCC mec ) types of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains obtained from inpatients and outpatients of two hospitals in Turkey. Of the 304 S. aureus strains (230 hospital acquired [HA] and 74 community-onset [CO]), 261 were MRSA and 43 were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). PVL positivity was determined in 12 (1 HA and 11 community acquired) strains. Eight were MRSA, and four were MSSA. Seven of the PVL-positive strains were isolated from wound specimens, four from urine, and one from synovial fluid. SCC mec type III (93.78%) was more prevalent among HA-MRSA strains, and SCC mec type IIIB (41.18%) was more prevalent among CO-MRSA strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of the PVL-positive isolates were different. Our results indicate that PVL-positive strains are able to cause infection in nearly every system without the need for additional risk factors. Our PVL-positive CO-MRSA strains carry SCC mec types other than types IV and V. Due to the presence of PVL-positive strains in the hospitals, it is important to establish appropriate infection control measures to prevent their spread in the community and in hospitals.