Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant and Susceptible Staphylococcal Isolates from Oral Cavity of Dental Patients and Staff in Northern Japan

• Main Authors: Mina Hirose (Author), Meiji Soe Aung (Author), Atsushi Fukuda (Author), Shoko Yahata (Author), Yusuke Fujita (Author), Masato Saitoh (Author), Yukito Hirose (Author), Noriko Urushibara (Author), Nobumichi Kobayashi (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2021-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antibiotics10111316; 2079-6382
• Keywords: MRSA; <i>Staphylococcus argenteus</i>; coagulase-negative <i>Staphylococcus</i>; oral cavity; hand; SCC<i>mec</i>; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antibiotics, Vol 10, Iss 11, p 1316 (2021)

The acquisition of drug resistance and virulence by staphylococcal species colonizing humans is a growing public health concern. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genetic characteristics of <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates from the oral cavity and skin (hand) of systemically healthy subjects with dental disease and dental staff in northern Japan. Among a total of 133 subjects (91 patients and 42 staff), 87 coagulase-positive <i>Staphylococcus</i> (83 <i>S. aureus</i>/4 <i>S. argenteus</i>) and 162 coagulase-negative <i>Staphylococcus</i> (CoNS) isolates were recovered from 59 (44.4%) and 95 (71.4%) subjects, respectively. Three oral isolates were methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA) (3.6%, 3/83) that were genotyped as ST8-SCC<i>mec</i>-IVl, ST4775(CC1)-SCC<i>mec</i>-IVa and ST6562(CC8)-SCC<i>mec</i>-IVa. Remarkably, the ST6562 isolate harbored PVL genes on ΦSa2usa and type I ACME (arginine catabolic mobile element). Four methicillin-susceptible isolates were identified as <i>S. argenteus</i> belonging to ST1223 and ST2250, which harbored enterotoxin genes <i>egc-2</i> and <i>sey</i>, respectively. Among the fourteen CoNS species identified, methicillin-resistant (MR) isolates were detected in five species (11 isolates, 13.3% of CoNS), with <i>S. saprophyticus</i> and <i>S. haemolyticus</i> being the most common. ACME was prevalent in only <i>S. epidermidis</i> and <i>S. capitis</i>. These findings indicated the potential distribution of USA300 clone-like MRSA, toxigenic <i>S. argenteus</i> and MR-CoNS in the oral cavity of dental patients.