Methicillin resistance and virulence genes in invasive and nasal Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from neonates

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen involved in hospital-acquired infections, particularly in those related to medical devices. This study characterized 50 genetically unrelated S. epidermidis isolates from bloodstream infections (BSIs, n = 31) and nares (n = 19) of neonates in relation to staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) type, biofilm production and associated genes, and the arginine catabolic mobile elements (ACME), in order to detect virulence factors that could discriminate a potential invasiveness isolate or predict an increasing pathogenicity. RESULTS: Isolates from both groups showed no difference for biofilm production and ACME genes detection. However, BSI isolates harbored more frequently the sdrF and sesI genes (p < 0.05), whereas biofilm producer isolates were associated with presence of the aap gene. The sdrF gene was also significantly more in the biofilm producer isolates from BSI. The SCCmec type IV and the ccr2 complex were related to BSI isolates (p < 0.05), while 83% of the nasal isolates were non-typeable for the SCCmec elements, with the mec complex and ccr undetectable as the most frequent profile. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the great clonal diversity displayed by S. epidermidis isolates from neonates, BSI isolates harbored more frequently the sdrF and sesI adhesin genes, while nasal isolates were very variable in SCCmec composition. These aspects could be advantageous to improve colonization in the host increasing its pathogenicity.