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High Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin Gene Cluster Superantigens in Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Isolates
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

High Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin Gene Cluster Superantigens in Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Isolates

Anthony J. Fischer, Samuel H. Kilgore, Sachinkumar B. Singh, Patrick D. Allen, Alexis R. Hansen, Dominique H. Limoli and Patrick M. Schlievert
Genes, Vol.10(12), p.1036
12/01/2019
DOI: 10.3390/genes10121036
PMCID: PMC6947208
PMID: 31842331
url
https://doi.org/10.3390/genes10121036View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a highly prevalent respiratory pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF). It is unclear how this organism establishes chronic infections in CF airways. We hypothesized that S. aureus isolates from patients with CF would share common virulence properties that enable chronic infection. Methods: 77 S. aureus isolates were obtained from 45 de-identified patients with CF at the University of Iowa. We assessed isolates phenotypically and used genotyping assays to determine the presence or absence of 18 superantigens (SAgs). Results: We observed phenotypic diversity among S. aureus isolates from patients with CF. Genotypic analysis for SAgs revealed 79.8% of CF clinical isolates carried all six members of the enterotoxin gene cluster (EGC). MRSA and MSSA isolates had similar prevalence of SAgs. We additionally observed that EGC SAgs were prevalent in S. aureus isolated from two geographically distinct CF centers. Conclusions: S. aureus SAgs belonging to the EGC are highly prevalent in CF clinical isolates. The greater prevalence in these SAgs in CF airway specimens compared to skin isolates suggests that these toxins confer selective advantage in the CF airway.
Genetics & Heredity Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology

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