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. 2022 Jun 6:4:42-46.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2022.06.003. eCollection 2022 Sep.

Phylogenetic relatedness of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the host community and Syrian refugees in Duhok Governorate based on 16S rRNA

Narin A Rasheed  1 , Rezheen F Abdulrahman  2 , Nawfal R Hussein  3
Affiliations

Phylogenetic relatedness of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the host community and Syrian refugees in Duhok Governorate based on 16S rRNA

Narin A Rasheed et al. IJID Reg. .

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the genetic relatedness between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from the host community of Duhok City and Syrian refugees based on the partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene, and to investigate the prevalence of SCCmec and vancomycin resistance.

Methods: Thirty MRSA isolates that had previously been detected and characterized were included. PCR was used for SCCmec typing, vancomycin detection, and amplification of the 16S rRNA gene for sequencing.

Results: The MRSA isolates were identical and highly similar to globally published S. aureus strains, especially human nasal cavity strains. The phylogenetic tree showed that the isolates were grouped into two major groups: groups 1 and 2. Group 2 was divergent from group 1 and included isolates from the host community and Syrian refugees (new arrivals). Group 1 included isolates from the three groups, and these were genetically closely related. Most strains in both study groups were SCCmec type IVa and clustered on the same lineage of the tree. The highest rate of vancomycin resistance was found among the isolates from refugees.

Conclusions: The close relationship between MRSA strains in the two study groups could be due to the geographical location of neighboring countries, which enhances the spread of MRSA strains between them.

Keywords: 16S rRNA; Duhok; MRSA; Phylogenetic tree; Syrian refugees; vanA.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Phylogenetic relatedness of MRSA isolates based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The tree was constructed with MEGA X using the neighbor-joining method and a bootstrap value of 1000 repetitions. The 28 16S rRNA gene sequences of the MRSA isolates obtained in the current study were designated as Staphylococcus aureus NAR1–NAR28, as shown in the tree, and were deposited in the GenBank database under accessions numbers MW644587 to MW644614. Note: *vanA gene positive.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Phylogenetic relatedness of MRSA isolates based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences: (A) host community and Syrian refugee residents in camps; (B) host community and Syrian refugees (new arrivals) at the border; (C) Syrian refugee residents in camps and new arrivals. The tree was constructed with MEGA X using the neighbor-joining method and a bootstrap value of 1000 repetitions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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