Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda

Introduction: Staphylococcus epidermidis is often considered a non-pathogenic organism but it causes nosocomial infections. To distinguish invasive strains, comparative studies of patient and community isolates may offer some clues. We investigated the distribution of virulence determinants in pati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moses S Okee, Moses L Joloba, Margaret Okello, Florence Christine Najjuka, Fred Ashaba Katabazi, Freddie Bwanga, Ann Nanteza, David Patrick Kateete
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2011-11-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2007
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850187399888371712
author Moses S Okee
Moses L Joloba
Margaret Okello
Florence Christine Najjuka
Fred Ashaba Katabazi
Freddie Bwanga
Ann Nanteza
David Patrick Kateete
author_facet Moses S Okee
Moses L Joloba
Margaret Okello
Florence Christine Najjuka
Fred Ashaba Katabazi
Freddie Bwanga
Ann Nanteza
David Patrick Kateete
author_sort Moses S Okee
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Staphylococcus epidermidis is often considered a non-pathogenic organism but it causes nosocomial infections. To distinguish invasive strains, comparative studies of patient and community isolates may offer some clues. We investigated the distribution of virulence determinants in patient isolates from Uganda. Methodology: S. epidermidis isolates were identified with the Staph API ID 32 kit. Antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation and hemolysis were detected with standard procedures. Genes associated with virulence (aap, atlE, bhp, hla, hld, ica, IS256, sdrE, sea, tsst) and antimicrobial resistance (aac(6')-Ie-aph(2'')-Ia, aph(3')-IIIa, ant(4')-Ia, blaZ, mecA, vanA/vanB1) were detected by PCR. Results: S. epidermidis grew in 30 (30/50, 60%) ICU samples and 20 (20/60, 33%) community samples (one isolate per sample per patient/person). All ICU isolates (30/30, 100%) were IS256 and hld positive, 22 (22/30, 73%) were biofilm/ica positive, 21 (21/30, 70%) were hemolytic on blood agar, nine (9/30, 30%) contained atlE gene, six (6/30, 20%) hla gene, five (5/30, 17%) aap gene, and three (3/30, 10%) bhp gene. A gene encoding an aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme, aph(3')-IIIa, was highly prevalent (28/30, 93%), while blaZ (2/30, 7%), mecA (3/30, 10%), vanA (3/30, 10%) and vanB1 (3/30, 10%) were less  prevalent. Of the community isolates, one (1/20, 5%) was ica positive, two (2/20, 10%) formed biofilms, and three (3/20, 15%) possessed the atlE gene. bhp, aap, IS256, hld and antimicrobial resistance genes were not detected in community isolates. Conclusions: S. epidermidis from ICU patients in Mulago Hospital is potentially virulent and could be a reservoir for antimicrobial resistant genes.
format Article
id doaj-art-e65a307731454ebca41b6662bcf080f6
institution OA Journals
issn 1972-2680
language English
publishDate 2011-11-01
publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
record_format Article
series Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
spelling doaj-art-e65a307731454ebca41b6662bcf080f62025-08-20T02:16:06ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802011-11-0160310.3855/jidc.2007Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, UgandaMoses S Okee0Moses L Joloba1Margaret Okello2Florence Christine Najjuka3Fred Ashaba Katabazi4Freddie Bwanga5Ann Nanteza6David Patrick Kateete7Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, UgandaMakerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Anesthesiology, Mulago National Referral HospitalMakerere University College of Health SciencesMakerere University College of Health SciencesMakerere University College of Health SciencesMakerere University School Veterinary MedicineMakerere University College of Health Sciences Introduction: Staphylococcus epidermidis is often considered a non-pathogenic organism but it causes nosocomial infections. To distinguish invasive strains, comparative studies of patient and community isolates may offer some clues. We investigated the distribution of virulence determinants in patient isolates from Uganda. Methodology: S. epidermidis isolates were identified with the Staph API ID 32 kit. Antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation and hemolysis were detected with standard procedures. Genes associated with virulence (aap, atlE, bhp, hla, hld, ica, IS256, sdrE, sea, tsst) and antimicrobial resistance (aac(6')-Ie-aph(2'')-Ia, aph(3')-IIIa, ant(4')-Ia, blaZ, mecA, vanA/vanB1) were detected by PCR. Results: S. epidermidis grew in 30 (30/50, 60%) ICU samples and 20 (20/60, 33%) community samples (one isolate per sample per patient/person). All ICU isolates (30/30, 100%) were IS256 and hld positive, 22 (22/30, 73%) were biofilm/ica positive, 21 (21/30, 70%) were hemolytic on blood agar, nine (9/30, 30%) contained atlE gene, six (6/30, 20%) hla gene, five (5/30, 17%) aap gene, and three (3/30, 10%) bhp gene. A gene encoding an aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme, aph(3')-IIIa, was highly prevalent (28/30, 93%), while blaZ (2/30, 7%), mecA (3/30, 10%), vanA (3/30, 10%) and vanB1 (3/30, 10%) were less  prevalent. Of the community isolates, one (1/20, 5%) was ica positive, two (2/20, 10%) formed biofilms, and three (3/20, 15%) possessed the atlE gene. bhp, aap, IS256, hld and antimicrobial resistance genes were not detected in community isolates. Conclusions: S. epidermidis from ICU patients in Mulago Hospital is potentially virulent and could be a reservoir for antimicrobial resistant genes. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2007Staphylococcus epidermidisvirulence determinantsantimicrobial resistance genesintensive care unitMulago HospitalUganda
spellingShingle Moses S Okee
Moses L Joloba
Margaret Okello
Florence Christine Najjuka
Fred Ashaba Katabazi
Freddie Bwanga
Ann Nanteza
David Patrick Kateete
Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Staphylococcus epidermidis
virulence determinants
antimicrobial resistance genes
intensive care unit
Mulago Hospital
Uganda
title Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
title_full Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
title_fullStr Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
title_short Prevalence of virulence determinants in Staphylococcus epidermidis from ICU patients in Kampala, Uganda
title_sort prevalence of virulence determinants in staphylococcus epidermidis from icu patients in kampala uganda
topic Staphylococcus epidermidis
virulence determinants
antimicrobial resistance genes
intensive care unit
Mulago Hospital
Uganda
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2007
work_keys_str_mv AT mosessokee prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT mosesljoloba prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT margaretokello prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT florencechristinenajjuka prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT fredashabakatabazi prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT freddiebwanga prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT annnanteza prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda
AT davidpatrickkateete prevalenceofvirulencedeterminantsinstaphylococcusepidermidisfromicupatientsinkampalauganda