Multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of enterococcal genes vanA and vanB and staphylococcal genes mecA, ileS-2 and femB

Int Microbiol. 2003 Jun;6(2):113-5. doi: 10.1007/s10123-003-0118-z. Epub 2003 Jun 12.

Abstract

The experimental transfer of the vanA gene cluster from Enterococcus faecalis to Staphylococcus aureus has raised fears about the occurrence of such genetic transfer in clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Recently, infections by a S. aureus strain carrying the enterococcal vancomycin resistance vanA gene cluster were reported. The possible emergence and dissemination of these strains is a serious health threat and makes optimization of prevention strategies and fast detection methods absolutely necessary. In the present study, we developed a PCR protocol for simultaneous detection of enterococcal vanA and vanB genes, the staphylococcal methicillin and mupirocin resistance markers mecA and ileS-2, and identification of S. aureus. As no vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates were available for our study, we used mixtures of enterococcal and staphylococcal colonies that harbored the different resistance markers to show that these genes could be detected simultaneously. This protocol could be used to facilitate the detection and identification of predictable S. aureus or methicillin-resistant strains carrying vanA or vanB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / genetics
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Enterococcus faecalis / genetics*
  • Gene Transfer, Horizontal
  • Genes, Bacterial*
  • Methicillin Resistance / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
  • Vancomycin Resistance / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • FemB protein, Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • VanA ligase, Bacteria
  • VanB protein, Enterococcus
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases