Comparison of Ferment Sugars, Produce Hemolysis and Measuring Growth in Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Inpatients and Healthcare Workers in Gorgan Hospitals, North of Iran

A. Amini et al.

1Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 2Laboratory Science Research Center, Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 3Department of Microbiology, School ofMedicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran 4Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Health Center of Golestan Province, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 5Young Researchers Club, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran. 6Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1095

ABSTRACT: The mec A gene in Staphylococcus aureus leads to production of new penicillin-binding protein called PBP2a.This change may follow some changes in other phenotypes. The aim of this study was the comparison of Ferment Sugars, Produce Hemolysis and Measuring Growth in MRSA and MSSA isolates.188 Staphylococcus aureus isolates separated from inpatients and healthcare workers (healthy carriers)were studied.Bacterialcultures in blood agar environment at 37ºC during 24h and at 4ºC during other 24h were applied for studying hemolysis. Sugar fermentation carried out in phenol red Broth medium, containing glucose, galactose, arabinose, fructose, xylose, ramnose, mannose, sucrose, trehalose, raffinose or maltose. For determining bacterial growth,bacterial concentration of 103was taken each hour during 12 cultured in MHAand colonies were counted after 24h.The mean amount of hemolysis diameter in MRSA isolates was rather more than that of MSSA isolates. The difference between MRSA and MSSA isolates were significant as to fermenting ramnose, trehalose, galactose and xylose. The mean rate of growth in MRSAwere significantly different from that of MSSAisolates (p<0.05).Resistance to methicillin in Staphylococcus aureus isolates accompanies the increase of ability to ferment sugars. This phenomenon may be one of reasons for increased pathogenicity of MRSA isolates; So results shows the logarithmic phase is longer in MRSA isolates, This may implicate that PBP2a production in methicillin-resistant isolates follows slowing down nutrients entrance into the bacterium that in turn may causes slow growth .

KEYWORDS: Staphylococcus aureus; MRSA; MSSA; Sugar Fermentation; Hemolysis; Generation Time

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