Bacteriology & Antibiotics

Biography

Biography: Mohammad Hanif Bariman

Abstract

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is globally a major public health threat. Resistance to methicillin originates from a modified protein called PBP2a encoded by mecA gene. Recently, a new divergent of mecA has been reported which is called mecC and encodes PBP2c. Presence of PVL gene in MRSA increases the risk of these pathogens. Epidemiology and characteristics of MRSA differ in different geographical regions. This study was conducted to characterize MRSAs isolated from patients in HTAA, Pahang, Malaysia in terms of the genes that mediate resistance to methicillin and PVL encoding gene. Furthermore, to determine their antibiotic susceptibility profile. Materials and methods: In this study a total of 36 isolates of MRSA have been collected during a period of three months (1stFebruary –30thApril, 2018). After the reconfirmation and susceptibility testing to ten different commonly used antibiotics, the isolates were characterized by real-time PCR. Results: Based on the identifying criteria, 44.4% of the isolates were CA-MRSA, and 55.5% were HA-MRSA. It was found that resistance to oxacillin, cefoxitin and penicillin was 100%, gentamycin 88.8%, erythromycin 33.3%, tetracycline 77.7%, trimethorim-sulfamethoxazole 61.1%, clindamycin 13.8%, chloramphenicol 11.1%, and none were resistant to vancomycin. Real-time PCR revealed that all isolates were mecA positive and 4% were PVL-positive. All PVL-positive strains were CA-MRSA and all were susceptible to clindamycin. Conclusion: The study confirms the presence of multi-drug resistant MRSA in the study area, and shows that resistance to methicillin is mecA mediated. PVL carrier strains were related to CA-MRSA and constituted 11.1% of the tested isolates.