Determining the Molecular Identity of Two Virulence Genes mec-A and lukS/F-PV of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated From the Lung Secretions of Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units in Kerman, Iran

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common hospital- and community-acquired pathogens. This bacterium has different virulence factors, and today’s reports show that the prevalence of methicillin resistance in S. aureus is increasing in different regions of the world. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on ۶۰ hospital samples. First, biochemical tests were conducted on the samples to separate and confirm the genus of S. aureus. After the enrichment and isolation of bacteria and extraction of the DNA of mec-A and lukS/F-PV genes, they were evaluated by multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Results: In this study, ۲۰ isolates of S. aureus were obtained from a total of ۶۰ samples. In these ۲۰ S. aureus isolates, the frequency of the lukS/F-PV gene was reported in ۱۲ isolates, and the frequency of the mecA gene was reported in ۸ isolates, of which ۴ isolates had both genes. Conclusion: According to the results, the identification of genes related to the severity of the disease and antibiotic resistance can play an effective role in the identification of the antibiotic-resistant population and subsequent planning to deal with antibiotic resistance. In addition, multiplex PCR, as a low-cost and specific method, was used to identify infectious agents of pathogens related to their virulence.