S Deinhardt-Emmer1, S Sachse2, J Geraci2, C Fischer2, A Kwetkat3, K Dawczynski4, L Tuchscherr2, B Löffler5. 1. Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. Electronic address: stefanie.deinhardt-emmer@med.uni-jena.de. 2. Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. 3. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. 4. Neonatology Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. 5. Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; InfectoGnostics Forschungscampus Jena e.V., Zentrum für Angewandte Forschung, Jena, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus can reach 20-30% among the population, which can lead to invasive infection. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of colonization among different age groups, and analyse S. aureus strain-specific virulence patterns. METHOD: For analysis of the prevalence of colonization, groups consisting of newborns, healthy volunteers aged 5-60 years, and nursing home residents aged >80 years were examined with nasopharyngeal swabs. After S. aureus was cultured, genetic analysis and phenotypic virulence testing were performed by cell-based assays. FINDINGS: Among 924 volunteers, the overall colonization rate was approximately 30%, with a peak in subjects aged 5-10 years (49%). Neonates and subjects aged >80 years showed different distributions of clonal clusters. Overall, the strains of all age groups exhibited virulence characteristics that can contribute to the development of infection. In particular, the neonatal strains exhibited a high incidence of toxin genes that resulted in increased cytotoxic effects compared with the other strains tested. CONCLUSIONS: Colonizing strains showed a virulence profile in all age groups, which may lead to the establishment of invasive infection. Consequently, decolonization measures could be considered for selected patients depending on the risk of infection.
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus can reach 20-30% among the population, which can lead to invasive infection. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of colonization among different age groups, and analyse S. aureus strain-specific virulence patterns. METHOD: For analysis of the prevalence of colonization, groups consisting of newborns, healthy volunteers aged 5-60 years, and nursing home residents aged >80 years were examined with nasopharyngeal swabs. After S. aureus was cultured, genetic analysis and phenotypic virulence testing were performed by cell-based assays. FINDINGS: Among 924 volunteers, the overall colonization rate was approximately 30%, with a peak in subjects aged 5-10 years (49%). Neonates and subjects aged >80 years showed different distributions of clonal clusters. Overall, the strains of all age groups exhibited virulence characteristics that can contribute to the development of infection. In particular, the neonatal strains exhibited a high incidence of toxin genes that resulted in increased cytotoxic effects compared with the other strains tested. CONCLUSIONS: Colonizing strains showed a virulence profile in all age groups, which may lead to the establishment of invasive infection. Consequently, decolonization measures could be considered for selected patients depending on the risk of infection.
Authors: Franziska Hufsky; Ana Abecasis; Patricia Agudelo-Romero; Magda Bletsa; Katherine Brown; Claudia Claus; Stefanie Deinhardt-Emmer; Li Deng; Caroline C Friedel; María Inés Gismondi; Evangelia Georgia Kostaki; Denise Kühnert; Urmila Kulkarni-Kale; Karin J Metzner; Irmtraud M Meyer; Laura Miozzi; Luca Nishimura; Sofia Paraskevopoulou; Alba Pérez-Cataluña; Janina Rahlff; Emma Thomson; Charlotte Tumescheit; Lia van der Hoek; Lore Van Espen; Anne-Mieke Vandamme; Maryam Zaheri; Neta Zuckerman; Manja Marz Journal: Viruses Date: 2022-07-12 Impact factor: 5.818