Infections Caused By Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus European Clone (ST80) In Slovenia Between 2006 And 2013

Abstract

IntroductionAccording to the existing literature, a heterogeneous sequence type (ST) or clones of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) circulate in Europe. In Europe, the European clone that belongs to sequence type ST80 is predominant.MethodsThe aim of the study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and epidemiological data of CA-MRSA ST80 and its occurrence in Slovenia. We retrospectively analyzed those CA-MRSA isolates that were isolated during microbiological procedures in microbiological laboratories between 2006 and 2013. Only CA-MRSA isolates from the national collection of CA-MRSA strains that belonged to ST80 (European clone) were analyzed. We determined the Pantone-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), mec A genes, exfoliative toxin genes and type of staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We determined also spa type and sequence type.ResultsST80 was confirmed in only 2 (0.5%) out of 385 CA-MRSA isolates, collected in a national collection of CAMRSA. Both isolates were positive for the PVL genes, mec A gene, exfoliative toxin type D gene and SCCmec IV. One CA-MRSA isolate was confirmed in a wound swab taken from a 47-year-old male, and the second was isolated from blood cultures of a 69-year-old female. No epidemiological connections between them were found.ConclusionsIn Slovenia CA-MRSA infections caused by ST80 are rare. In the future, it is necessary that a surveillance study of CA-MRSA at the national level continues and CA-MRSA be considered as a public health threat.

Changing epidemiology of presumptive community-associated-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Slovenia in 2014-2015 compared to 2010

“…European clone ST80 and Balkan clone ST152/377, which are circulating in Europe and our neighbouring countries (Italy, Austria, Croatia), are rare in Slovenia ( 24 , 25 ). In 2010, PVL gene was detected in eight (8.7%) strains that belonged to ST5, ST7, ST8, ST22, ST72, ST88, ST152/377 and ST772.…”

“…PVL positive ST5 (t002) significantly increased from 1.3% (n=2) in 2010 to 7.4% (n=9) in 2014 (p-value=0.0466). PVL positive MRSA strains were also found in 2014 and 2015 in 10 clinical samples (nine samples from wounds, one from faeces), but in Slovenia PVL positive clones are surprisingly rarely distributed ( 25 ).…”

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST80 Clone: A Systematic Review

“…MRSA-ST80 isolates are of course resistant to all β-lactams. Concerning non-β-lactams antibiotics, MRSA-ST80 isolates differ from other CA-MRSA strains by often being resistant to fusidic acid, tetracycline, and kanamycin [80,113]. However, isolates susceptible to kanamycin, tetracycline, and fusidic acid that usually characterize MRSA-ST80 clone have been widely reported (Table S1).…”

MRSA diversity and the emergence of LA-MRSA in a large teaching hospital in Slovenia

“…The hospitals have issued guidelines for the prevention of MRSA healthcare-associated transmission, including hand hygiene, which is the most important infection control measure, patient isolation, and surveillance of patients at risk [14]. However, despite good hospital controls, at present, a detailed MRSA epidemiology in Slovenia is less than thoroughly investigated, as the focus is mainly on the CA-MRSA [15][16][17]. Newly described mecC-positive isolates have been found in a large collection of 395 CA-MRSA, isolated nationwide from 2006 to 2013 [18].…”