Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular typing of methicillin and gentamicin resistantStaphylococcus aureus in Dublin

  • Article
  • Current Topic: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The high incidence of infection in Dublin hospitals caused by non-typable strains of methicillin- and gentamicin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MGRSA) has created an important epidemiological problem as conventional methods of sub-dividing these organisms have not been useful. This report describes a novel approach to the typing and analysis of MGRSA strains, particularly non-typable isolates, by (i) comparing restriction endonuclease Hin dIII digest patterns of total cellular DNA; and (ii) by using Southern hybridization analysis to detect size variations or polymorphisms in restriction endonuclease cleavage fragments within small regions of the chromosome. Non-typable MGRSA strains and isolates belonging to two phenotypically related groups of phage-type 77 and 77/84 strains were readily subdivided on the basis of molecular size differences in high molecular weight DNA fragments generated by the enzyme Hin dIII. Restriction endonuclease fragment size polymorphisms were readily detected in many of the non-typable strains tested in hybridization experiments, and these were used for strain sub-division. Both techniques were useful tools for the separation of closely related MGRSA strains.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Crossley, K., Loesch, D., Landesman, B., Mead, K., Chern, M., Strate, R.: An outbreak of infections caused by strains ofStaphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin and aminoglycosides. I: Clinical studies. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1979, 139: 273–279.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Archer, G. L., Mayhall, C. G.: Comparison of epidemiological markers used in the investigation of an outbreak of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus infections. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1983, 18: 395–399.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lyon, B. R., May, J. W., Skurray, R.: Analysis of plasmids in nosocomial strains of multiple-antibiotic-resistantStaphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1983, 23: 817–826.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cafferkey, M. T., Coleman, D., McGrath, B., Hone, R., Pomeroy, H., Ruddy, R., Keane, C. T.: Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus in Dublin 1971–1984. Lancet 1985, ii: 705–707.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Coleman, D. C., Pomeroy, H., Estridge, J. K., Keane, C. T., Cafferkey, M. T., Hone, R., Foster, T. J.: Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents and analysis of plasmids in gentamicin- and methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus from Dublin hospitals. Journal of Medical Microbiology 1985, 20: 157–167.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cafferkey, M. T., Hone, R., Falkiner, F. R., Keane, C. T., Pomeroy, H.: Gentamicin and methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus in Dublin hospitals: clinical and laboratory studies. Journal of Medical Microbiology 1983, 16: 117–127.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mekalanos, J. J.: Duplication and amplification of toxin genes inVibrio cholerae. Cell 1983, 35: 253–263.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Collins, D. M., De Lisle, G. W.: DNA restriction endonuclease analysis ofMycobacterium tuberculosis andMycobacterium bovis BCG. Journal of General Microbiology 1984, 130: 1019–1021.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Maniatis, T., Fritsch, E. F., Sambrook, J.: Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 1982, p. 454.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Southern, E. M.: Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. Journal of Molecular Biology 1975, 98: 503–517.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Griffin, H. G., Foster, T. J., Falkiner, F. R., Carr, M. E., Coleman, D. C.: Molecular analysis of multiple-resistance plasmids transferred from gram-negative bacteria isolated in a urological unit. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1985, 28: 413–418.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rigby, P. W. J., Dieckmann, M., Rhodes, C., Berg, P.: Labelling deoxyribonucleic acid to high specific activity in vitro by nick translation with DNA polymerase. Journal of Molecular Biology 1977, 113: 237–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hohn, B., Collins, J.: A small cosmid for efficient cloning of large DNA fragments. Gene 1980, 11: 291–298.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hohn, B.: In vitro packaging ofλ and cosmid DNA. In: Wu, R. (ed.): Methods in enzymology. Volume 68. Academic Press, New York, 1979, p. 299–309.

    Google Scholar 

  15. van Ketel, R. J., ter Schegget, J., Zanen, H. C.: Molecular epidemiology ofLegionella pneumophila serogroup 1. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1984, 20: 362–364.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Penner, J. L., Hennessy, J. N., Mills, S. D., Bradbury, W. C.: Application of serotyping and chromosomal restriction endonuclease digest analysis in investigating a laboratory-acquired case ofCampylobacter jejuni enteritis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1983, 18: 1427–1428.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bjorvatn, B., Lund, V., Kristiansen, B.-E., Korsnes, L., Spanne, O., Lindqvist, B.: Applications of restriction endonuclease fingerprinting of chromosomal DNA ofNeisseria meningitidis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1984, 19: 763–765.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. McClenaghan, M., Herring, A. J., Aitken, I. D.: Comparison ofChlamydia psittaci isolates by DNA restriction endonuclease analysis. Infection and Immunity 1984, 45: 384–389.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Collins, D. M., De Lisle, G. W.: DNA restriction endonuclease analysis ofMycobacterium bovis and other members of the tuberculosis complex. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1985, 21: 562–564.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kristiansen, B.-E., Bjorvatn, B., Lund, V., Lindqvist, B., Holten, E.:.Differentiation of B15Neisseria meningitidis by DNA restriction endonuclease fingerprinting. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1984, 150: 672–677.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dowd, D., Cafferkey, M., Dougan, G.: Gentamicin and methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus in Dublin hospitals: molecular studies. Journal of Medical Microbiology 1983, 16: 129–138.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ubukata, K., Yamashita, N., Gotoh, A., Konno, M.: Purification and characterization of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes fromStaphylococcus aureus undStaphylococcus epidermidis. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1984, 25: 754–759.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Novick, R. P.: Properties of a cryptic high-frequency transducing phage inStaphylococcus aureus. Virology 1963, 33: 155–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kreiswirth, B. N., Lofdhal, S., Betley, M. J., O'Reilly, M., Schlievert, P. M., Bergdoll, M. S., Novick, R. P.: The toxic shock syndrome exotoxin structural gene is not detectably transmitted by a prophage. Nature 1983, 305: 709–712.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Moyne Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland

    M. Mulvey, J. P. Arbuthnott & D. C. Coleman

Authors
  1. M. Mulvey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. P. Arbuthnott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. C. Coleman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mulvey, M., Arbuthnott, J.P. & Coleman, D.C. Molecular typing of methicillin and gentamicin resistantStaphylococcus aureus in Dublin. Eur. J, Clin. Microbiol. 5, 719–725 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02013312

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02013312

Keywords

Search

Navigation