Korean J Clin Pathol.  1997 Apr;17(2):252-259.

Restriction Endonuclease Analysis of Plasmids and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Staphylococcus Aureus and S. Epidermidis Isolated from Clinical Specimens

• Lee HJ
• Lee JR
• Kim MH
• Suh JT
• Kim YI
• Suh WJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major etiologic agent of hospital acquired infection. Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) species are previously regarded as contaminants. However nowadays CNS were regarded as an important cause of bacteremia. So in this study we wanted to analyze the patterns of plasmids and antimicrobial susceptibility test of Staphylococcus species isolated from clinical specimens. METHOD: Plasmid DNA was extracted and then processed through restriction enzyme digestion for plasmid analysis of S. aureus and antimicrobial susceptibility, which was done by agar dilution method. For S. epidermidis plasmid analysis was done without enzyme digestion.
RESULTS
All of MRSA have 1 to 5 plasmids. There exists 6 patterns of S. aureus plasmid without enzyme digestion. With EcoRI and HindIII digestion pattern were more distinct and clear. For S. epidermidis enzyme digestion is not needed. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of S. aureus are simple whereas S. epidermidis showed variable patterns.
CONCLUSIONS
For the plasmid analysis of S. aureus restriction enzyme digestion is required and for the S. epidermidis, the pattern of plasmids are variable so without restriction enzyme analysis we can obtain several patterns. Plasmid analysis will be used as a good epidemilogical tool for Staphylococcus.

MeSH Terms

Agar
Bacteremia
Coagulase
Digestion
DNA
DNA Restriction Enzymes*
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Plasmids*
Restriction Mapping
Staphylococcus aureus*
Staphylococcus*
Agar
Coagulase
DNA
DNA Restriction Enzymes