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Isolation and molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci from nasal flora of healthy humans at three community institutions in Rio de Janeiro City

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2001

F. R. SILVA ,
E. M. MATTOS ,
M. V. S. COIMBRA ,
B. T. FERREIRA-CARVALHO  and
A. M. S. FIGUEIREDO
F. R. SILVA
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
E. M. MATTOS
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
M. V. S. COIMBRA
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
B. T. FERREIRA-CARVALHO
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
A. M. S. FIGUEIREDO
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Bactérias, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco I, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Abstract

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We describe the isolation and molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCNS) from the nasal flora of healthy humans from three institutions located in Rio de Janeiro City. Swabs were obtained from the nares of students attending a non-residential public school and adults from two military quarters. Isolates of staphylococci were tested for the presence of the mecA gene by hybridization with a specific probe. S. epidermidis was the most frequent MRCNS (38 of the total 45 CNS isolated). Twenty-five percent of nasal staphylococcal carriers studied were colonized with MRCNS. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI-digested genomic DNA was carried out to study the clonality of the methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) isolates. In addition to cross-colonization among individuals belonging to the same institution, familial cross-colonization appeared to contribute to the spread of the methicillin-resistant isolates among two inter-communicable institutions. Indeed, the wide genomic diversity among the MRSE flora suggests that the spread of the mecA gene among these isolates might also have occurred via horizontal transmission. Despite the limited number of institutions analysed, it is reasonable to conclude that our data do not represent a situation unique to the three organizations but may reflect other communities in Rio with respect to transmission of MRCNS.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 127 , Issue 1 , August 2001 , pp. 57 - 62
Copyright
2001 Cambridge University Press