Chemotherapy: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-7700
ISSN: 2167-7700
Renata MF Gomes, Maria Rosa Q Bomfim, Mariana JV Trindade, Luiz M Farias, Maria Auxiliadora R Carvalho, José Carlos Serufo and Simone G Santos
Bloodstream infection (BSI) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a worldwide public health problem, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to evaluate antimicrobial resistant genes, to characterize the Staphylococcal cassette chromosome elements (SCCmec) and the genetic diversity of MRSA strains recovered from the BSI of five Hospitals in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Fifty-six MRSA isolates were identified by the Vitek II system, and by the agar dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect coagulase (coa), methicillin (mecA) aminoglycosides (aaca-aphD), macrolides, lincosamides (ermA/ermB/ermC) and beta-lactams (blaz) genes, as well as chromosomal SCCmec type. The genetic diversity was carried out by ribotyping and intergenic repetitive sequences ERIC/PCR analysis. The mecA gene was detected in 84% of strains. At least one of the genes was present in the isolates from hospitals studied; the more frequent combinations were ermA/mecA and ermA/ermB/ermC (78.6% of samples). The SCC Studies have shown that such bacteria may be carriers of the ermA, ermB and ermC genes, type III was the most prevalent, followed by subtype IIIa. Ribotyping and ERIC-PCR results showed a variety of MRSA strains and suggest that certain clonal populations are circulating among the hospitals studied for different routes that should 16 be better investigated.