An Investigation of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 Gene in Methicillin-Resistant Clinical Strains of Staphylococcus aureus using Multiplex PCR Method

Toxins produced by the bacteria are one of the most common cases, which can, together with other bacterial pathogens, cause or aggravate the disease. One of the diseases caused by bacterial toxins, is toxic shock syndrome. The tst gene encodes this toxin that can be easily transferred between different strains of Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 gene was investigated in methicillin-resistant clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus using multiplex PCR method.
This study is a cross-sectional study, during a 9 month period, 470 samples were collected from patients hospitalized in different wards of treatment centers of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2015. Phenotypic method was used for isolation and initial screening. Oxacillin and Cefoxitin discs were used. After isolation of resistant strains, femA and mecA genes and tst gene were investigated using phenotypic method and multiplex PCR method, respectively.
Of 170 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, 93 isolates were phenotypically methicillin-resistant, among which 89 isolates had mecA gene and 14 isolates had tst gene.
The results indicated that the prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains and the strains carrying causative gene for TSST1, is high in Zahedan. Also, circulation of these isolates can lead to much more severe effects in individuals with weak immune system.