Human infections caused by Staphylococcus argenteus in Germany: genetic characterisation and clinical implications of novel species designation

Abstract

We report a series of Staphylococcus argenteus infections from Saarland, Germany. Travel histories were unremarkable for extra-European sojourns, indicating an autochthonous transmission mode. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that all isolates were members of the clonal complex CC2250. In only one case, guideline-adherent treatment with an isoxazolyl penicillin was prescribed. Our report illustrates the perils of novel species designations, which may lead to misconceptions and suboptimal treatment choices among clinicians.

Distribution of Virulence Factors and Resistance Determinants in Three Genotypes of Staphylococcus argenteus Clinical Isolates in Japan

“…In the present study, low rates of resistance were confirmed to tetracyclines and aminoglycosides due to efflux protein defined by tet(K) and aminoglycoside modifying enzymes encoded by aac(6′)-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia and aph(3′)-IIIa , respectively. Although similar findings were reported previously [ 7 , 20 ], no such resistance was observed for clinical isolates in other studies [ 7 , 12 , 19 ]. However, higher prevalence of tetracycline resistance [ 29 ] and tet(L) / aph(3′)-III [ 14 ] was described for blood isolates in Taiwan and Thailand, respectively.…”

“…Drug resistance rates in S. argenteus have been described as lower than those in S. aureus , while penicillin resistant isolates due to blaZ are common [ 2 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 15 , 29 ]. Although similar finding was observed in the present study, it was noted that ST2198 isolates exhibited significantly higher resistance rates than other STs to penicillin, macrolide-lincosamide, and aminoglycosides, associated with responsible resistance genes that have almost identical sequences to those known for S. aureus and other staphylococci.…”

“…Detection of blaZ was described in different clones (STs) of S. argenteus [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Phylogenetic analysis of blaZ in the present study indicated that blaZ in S. argenteus belongs mostly to the plasmid group, while some were assigned to the chromosomal group, irrespective of ST.…”

“…Thereafter, various STs and CCs have been identified for S. argenteus , including CC1223, CC2198, CC2250, CC2596 and CC2854 [ 7 ], and more than 60 STs have been currently assigned under several clonal complexes. ST2250 is considered to be the dominant clone with widespread geographical distribution including Europe [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], Southeast Asia [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], China [ 17 ], and Japan [ 18 , 19 , 20 ], while ST1223, the lineage related to CC75, is less prevalent and has been described as the pathogen responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning in Japan [ 21 , 22 ] as well as colonizing isolates in Cambodia and the Amazonian forest [ 23 , 24 ].…”

“…SCC mec of methicillin-resistant S. argenteus has been classified mostly as type IV, and rarely, as type V [ 2 , 9 , 13 , 37 ]. Previous reports have found that S. argenteus clinical isolates were susceptible to most of the antimicrobials tested [ 2 , 12 , 30 , 37 ], and the beta-lactamase gene blaZ has often been associated with them [ 9 , 13 , 15 ]. However, resistance to non-beta-lactam antimicrobials has been noted recently [ 29 , 30 , 37 ], furthermore, the occurrence of daptomycin resistance was reported for S. argenteus detected in a complex vascular graft infection in the USA [ 28 ].…”