Molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis in endophthalmitis

Infect Immun. 1998 Jan;66(1):356-60. doi: 10.1128/IAI.66.1.356-360.1998.

Abstract

Genomic DNA fingerprint analysis was performed on 39 Staphylococcus aureus and 28 Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis isolates collected from multiple clinical centers. Among 21 S. aureus genomic DNA fingerprint patterns identified, five clonotypes were recovered from multiple unrelated patients and accounted for 58.9% (23 of 39) of the isolates analyzed. Compared with strains having unique genomic DNA fingerprint patterns, the S. aureus clonotypes occurring more than once were more likely to result in visual acuities of 20/200 or worse (P = 0.036 [chi2 test]). In contrast to the S. aureus isolates, the E. faecalis endophthalmitis isolates were a clonally diverse population, enriched for the expression of a known toxin, cytolysin, which is plasmid encoded.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Cytotoxins / genetics
  • Cytotoxins / metabolism
  • DNA Fingerprinting
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Endophthalmitis / epidemiology*
  • Endophthalmitis / microbiology*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / classification
  • Enterococcus faecalis / genetics
  • Enterococcus faecalis / isolation & purification*
  • Gene Expression
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / classification
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Cytotoxins
  • DNA, Bacterial