sodC-Based Real-Time PCR for Detection of Neisseria meningitidis

Real-time PCR (rt-PCR) is a widely used molecular method for detection of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm). Several rt-PCR assays for Nm target the capsule transport gene, ctrA. However, over 16% of meningococcal carriage isolates lack ctrA, rendering this target gene ineffective at identification of this sub-population of meningococcal isolates. The Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase gene, sodC, is found in Nm but not in other Neisseria species. To better identify Nm, regardless of capsule genotype or expression status, a sodC-based TaqMan rt-PCR assay was developed and validated. Standard curves revealed an average lower limit of detection of 73 genomes per reaction at cycle threshold (Ct) value of 35, with 100% average reaction efficiency and an average R2 of 0.9925. 99.7% (624/626) of Nm isolates tested were sodC-positive, with a range of average Ct values from 13.0 to 29.5. The mean sodC Ct value of these Nm isolates was 17.6±2.2 (±SD). Of the 626 Nm tested, 178 were nongroupable (NG) ctrA-negative Nm isolates, and 98.9% (176/178) of these were detected by sodC rt-PCR. The assay was 100% specific, with all 244 non-Nm isolates testing negative. Of 157 clinical specimens tested, sodC detected 25/157 Nm or 4 additional specimens compared to ctrA and 24 more than culture. Among 582 carriage specimens, sodC detected Nm in 1 more than ctrA and in 4 more than culture. This sodC rt-PCR assay is a highly sensitive and specific method for detection of Nm, especially in carriage studies where many meningococcal isolates lack capsule genes

Molecular epidemiology and risk factors for nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus in infants attending day-care centers in Brazil.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:26:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Juliana Lamaro completa 2010.pdf: 383347 bytes, checksum: b303674ff0d9eef2f056b5d7aa6a4a91 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04-15Objectives: (i) to assess the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage in children attending day-care centers (DCC) in the municipality of Goiânia; (ii) to determine the potential risk factors related to S. aureus carriage and MRSA; (iii) to characterize MRSA isolates circulating in DCCs using molecular typing methods. Methods: Between August and December 2005, nasal swabs were collected from children who attended 62 DCCs. Clinical and socio-demographic information associated with the acquisition of S. aureus and MRSA were obtained through questionnaires applied to parents or guardians. The swabs were processed following the standard methods for identification and isolation of S. aureus. Amplification femB gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the specie. The presence of mecA gene was detected by PCR and the positive isolates were identified as MRSA. Susceptibility to MRSA was determined by disk diffusion method. MRSA molecular typing was performed by PFGE, MLST, spa typing and SCCmec multiplex PCR. Results: 371 (31.1%) out of the 1.192 collected swabs were positive for S. aureus and 14 (1.2%) were identified as MRSA. The factors independently associated with risks for nasal colonization by S. aureus were children higher than two years of age (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.27-2.65) and previous DCC attendance (OR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.01-2.16). Mother s high degree of education was a protective factor for S. aureus carriage (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.80). A multidrug resistant dominant MRSA lineage was identified comprising 8 out of the 14 MRSA isolates. This cluster was characterized as SCCmec type IIIA, ST239 and spa type t037 sharing 82.7% genetic similarity with the Brazilian clone. One MRSA strain was classified as SCCmec type V and ST1120. This strain showed features of CA-MRSA although it has been recovered from a healthy child who presented risk factors for HA-MRSA acquisition. The remaining MRSA strains showed a diverse genetic background. Conclusions: Children attending DCCs are often colonized with S. aureus and although the prevalence of MRSA was low, they can represent potential vectors of spread of resistant pathogens to the community. The detection of a MRSA lineage circulating within DCCs suggests a two-way flow spread of MRSA between hospitals and community.Objetivos: (i) avaliar a prevalência de portador nasal de Staphylococcus aureus e S. aureus resistentes à meticilina (MRSA) em crianças que frequentam centros municipais de educação infantil (CMEIs) no município de Goiânia; (ii) determinar os potenciais fatores de risco relacionados com a colonização nasal pelo S. aureus e por MRSA; (iii) caracterizar os isolados de MRSA circulantes nos CMEIS utilizando métodos de tipagem molecular. Material e Métodos: De agosto e dezembro de 2005, swabs nasais foram coletados de crianças menores de cinco anos de idade atendidas em 62 CMEIs do município. Informações clínicas e sócio-demográficas associadas à aquisição de S. aureus e MRSA foram obtidas por meio de questionários aplicados aos pais ou responsáveis. Os swabs foram processados seguindo metodologia padronizada para identificação e isolamento de S. aureus. A confirmação da espécie foi realizada pela amplificaçao do gene femB por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). A presença do gene mecA foi detectada por PCR e os isolados positivos foram identificados como MRSA. O perfil de suscetibilidade para estes isolados foi determinado pelo método de disco difusão. A tipagem molecular dos MRSA foi realizada pelas técnicas de PFGE, MLST, spa typing e SCCmec multiplex PCR. Utilizou-se regressão logística para o cálculo do odds ratio e respectivos intervalos de 95% de confiança. Resultados: Entre os 1.192 swabs coletados, 371 (31,1%) foram positivos para S. aureus e 14 (1,2%) foram identificados como MRSA. Os fatores independentemente associados ao portador nasal de S. aureus foram: crianças acima de dois anos de idade (OR=1,83; IC95% 1,27-2,65) e ter frequentado outra creche (OR= 1,48; IC95% 1,01-2,16). Alto grau de escolaridade da mãe foi um fator protetor para a colonização por S. aureus (OR=0,43; IC95% 0,23-0,80). Uma linhagem genética predominante foi identificada compreendendo 8 dos 14 MRSA isolados. Esta linhagem apresentou perfil de multirresistência, SCCmec tipo IIIA, ST239 e spa type t037, compartilhando 82,7% de similaridade genética com o Clone MRSA Brasileiro. Uma cepa MRSA foi classificada como SCCmec tipo V e ST1120. Esta cepa apresentou características genéticas de MRSA associados à comunidade embora tenha sido recuperada de criança com fatores de risco para aquisição de MRSA relacionado ao serviço de saúde. As demais cepas MRSA apresentaram composição genética bastante diversa. Conclusões: A prevalência de crianças de creches colonizadas pelo S. aureus é alta. Embora a prevalência para MRSA tenha sido baixa nessas crianças, elas representam vetores potenciais de disseminação de MRSA para comunidade. A detecção de uma linhagem de MRSA circulando nos CMEIs e associada a serviços de saúde pode estar sinalizando uma rota de transmissão cruzada destes microrganismos entre hospitais e comunidade

Molecular characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from animal products in a city of Northern Brazil

Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen causes listeriosis, a fatal disease in about 30% of cases that affects mainly immunocompromised persons. The aim of this research was to characterize L. monocytogenes pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types isolated from meat products collected at public markets in Araguaina city, TO. Sixty samples of raw ground beef and frescal sausage were analyzed during the second half of 2008. Five out of 30 samples (16.7%) of raw ground beef tested positive for L. monocytogenes, three of which were classified as serotype 1/2b and two as serotype 4b. Among the 30 samples of sausage collected, two strains of L. monocytogenes were isolated (6.7%), one of them belonging to serotype 1/2a and the other belonging to serotype 1/2b. The restriction enzymes used were ApaI and SmaI. Similarities among the strains were determined by Dice coefficient. The macro restriction profile obtained by using SmaI enzyme allowed the distribution of seven strains in two clusters, two pulsotypes and two subtypes. The result indicates that L. monocytogenes isolates, belonging to serotype 4b, 1/2a and 1/2b, are strongly correlated within the same serotype group, and in some cases among different serotypes, suggesting that they have a common source

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in neonates and children attending a pediatric outpatient clinics in Brazil

Background:In Latin America, few studies have been carried out on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage in the pediatric population. We conducted a survey of nasal S. aureus carriage in neonates and in children attending the pediatric outpatient clinics in a large Brazilian city with high antimicrobial consumption.Methods:Pernasal swabs of neonates were collected upon admission and at discharge in four neonatal intensive care units and of children less than five years of age during outpatient visits. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were characterized for antibiotic susceptibility, mec gene presence, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, spatype, SCCmec-type, multilocus sequence type, and presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes.Results:S. aureus was carried by 9.1% and 20.1% of the 701 neonates and of 2034 children attending the outpatient clinics, respectively; methicillin-resistant S. aureus carriage was detected in 0.6% and 0.2%, of the these populations, respectively. Healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains found in neonates from neonatal intensive care units and outpatients were genetically related to the Brazilian (SCCmec-III, ST239) and to the Pediatric (SCCmec-IV, ST5) clones. Community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus was only detected in outpatients. None of the methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains contained the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains related to the Brazilian clone showed multidrug resistance pattern.Conclusions:Despite the high antibiotic pressure in our area, and the cross transmission of the healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus clones between neonatal intensive care units and outpatients, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus carriage is still low in our setting

Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from patients in intensive care units in Goiânia, Brazil: Molecular and drug susceptibility profiles.

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is increasing worldwide and imposes significant life-threatening risks to several different populations, especially those in intensive care units (ICUs). Bacteria can quickly develop or acquire resistance to antimicrobial drugs, and combined with their intrinsic potential to cause disease in humans, these bacteria can become deadly. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii is notorious as a frequent opportunistic pathogen associated with critically ill patients, and understanding the genetic basis of A. baumannii resistance to beta-lactams among patients in ICUs will result in better protocols to prevent the development of resistance as well as improved treatment regimens. In this study, we assessed 1333 patients in five ICUs, 56 of whom developed A. baumannii infections. Most of the A. baumannii isolates were resistant to beta-lactam antimicrobial drugs, specifically, 3rd- and 4th-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems, and 91.1% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR). The most frequent OXA gene present was OXA-23 (55.1%), which is significantly associated with MDR strains. Most of the A. baumannii isolates (76.8%) were capable of forming a biofilm. The antimicrobial drug classes that were effective against most of these isolates were polymyxins and tigecycline. The molecular profile of the isolates allowed detection of 12 different clusters comprising 2 to 8 isolates each. In conclusion, our data indicate a high incidence of resistance to carbapenems as well as MDR strains among the observed A. baumannii isolates, most of which exhibited a high prevalence of OXA-23 gene expression. Only a few selective drugs were effective, reinforcing the notion that bacterial resistance is an emerging problem that should be prioritized in every healthcare facility

Molecular Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus in Infants Attending Day Care Centers in Brazil▿

Investigations regarding Staphylococcus aureus carriage among Brazilian children are scarce. We evaluated the determinants of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage in infants attending day care centers (DCCs) and the molecular features of the MRSA strains. A total of 1,192 children aged 2 months to 5 years attending 62 DCCs were screened for S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage. MRSA isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, spa typing, staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec typing and the presence of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors associated with S. aureus and MRSA colonization. S. aureus and MRSA carriage were detected in 371 (31.1%) and 14 (1.2%) children, respectively. Variables found to be independently associated with an increased risk for S. aureus carriage included being older than 24 months (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 2.6) and previous DCC attendance (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.2). Having a mother with a high level of education was a protective factor for nasal colonization (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.8). Moreover, we observed that more children carrying MRSA had younger siblings than children not colonized by MRSA. Among the 14 MRSA strains, three SCCmec types (IIIA, IV, and V) were detected, together with a multidrug-resistant dominant MRSA lineage sharing 82.7% genetic similarity with the Brazilian clone (ST239-MRSA-IIIA; ST indicates the sequence type determined by multilocus sequence typing). Although SCCmec type V was recovered from one healthy child who had been exposed to known risk factors for hospital-associated MRSA, its genetic background was compatible with community-related MRSA. Our data suggest that DCC attendees could be contributing to MRSA cross-transmission between health care and community settings

Molecular epidemiology of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus carriage in neonates admitted to an intensive care unit in Brazil

Submitted by Jaqueline Silva ([email protected]) on 2018-06-12T18:17:24Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Yves Mauro Ternes - 2013.pdf: 688707 bytes, checksum: 6e4a331a42bdf8675dcdccbe473a0a84 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira ([email protected]) on 2018-06-13T11:25:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Yves Mauro Ternes - 2013.pdf: 688707 bytes, checksum: 6e4a331a42bdf8675dcdccbe473a0a84 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-13T11:25:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Artigo - Yves Mauro Ternes - 2013.pdf: 688707 bytes, checksum: 6e4a331a42bdf8675dcdccbe473a0a84 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013Background: Nasal colonization with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) has been described as a risk factor for subsequent systemic infection. In this study, we evaluated the genetic profile of CoNS isolates colonizing the nares of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: We assessed CoNS carriage at admittance and discharge among newborns admitted to a NICU from July 2007 through May 2008 in one of the major municipalities of Brazil. Isolates were screened on mannitol salt agar and tryptic soy broth and tested for susceptibility to antimicrobials using the disc diffusion method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the species, the presence of the mecA gene, and to perform SCCmec typing. S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus isolated from the same child at both admission and discharge were characterized by PFGE. Results: Among 429 neonates admitted to the NICU, 392 (91.4%) had nasal swabs collected at both admission and discharge. The incidence of CoNS during the hospitalization period was 55.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50.9- 60.7). The most frequently isolated species were S. haemolyticus (38.3%) and S.epidermidis (38.0%). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was detected in 2.2% and 29.9% of the CoNS isolates, respectively at admittance and discharge (p = 0.053). The mecA gene was more prevalent among strains isolated at discharge (83.6%) than those isolated at admission (60%); overall, SCCmec type I was isolated most frequently. The length of hospitalization was associated with colonization by MDR isolates (p < 0.005). Great genetic diversity was observed among S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus. Conclusions: NICU represents an environment of risk for colonization by MDR CoNS. Neonates admitted to the NICU can become a reservoir of CoNS strains with the potential to spread MDR strains into the community

Similarity among <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> strains studied.

<p>Dendrogram representing PFGE profiles of <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> strains isolated from 56 patients from five different ICUs in Goiânia, Brazil. The cut-off point was set at 80% for the similarity coefficient (vertical line). Twelve different clusters (A thru L at the left) were detected. The identification number of the isolates and the ICUs can be found to the right of the profiles.</p