Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA

Sharon A Huws; Anthony W Smith; Mark C Enright; Pauline J Wood; Michael R W Brown

doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x

Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA

Sharon A Huws, Anthony W Smith, Mark C Enright, Pauline J Wood, Michael R W Brown

School of Pharmacy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The control of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is of concern worldwide. Given the evidence that several pathogenic species replicate within amoebae and emerge more virulent and more resistant and the abundance of amoebae in healthcare settings, we investigated interactions of Acanthamoeba polyphaga with epidemic MRSA isolates. MRSA proliferated in the presence of amoebae, attributable partly to intracellular replication. Following 24 h of co-culture, confocal microscopy revealed that c. 50% amoebae had viable MRSA within phago-lysosomes and 2% of amoebae were heavily infected with viable cocci throughout the cytoplasm. Infection control strategies should recognize the contribution of protozoa.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1130-3
Number of pages	4
Journal	Environmental Microbiology
Volume	8
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x
Publication status	Published - Jun 2006

Keywords

Acanthamoeba
Animals
Coculture Techniques
Colony Count, Microbial
Disease Outbreaks
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Methicillin Resistance
Microscopy, Confocal
Staphylococcal Infections
Staphylococcus aureus
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x

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title = "Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA",

abstract = "The control of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is of concern worldwide. Given the evidence that several pathogenic species replicate within amoebae and emerge more virulent and more resistant and the abundance of amoebae in healthcare settings, we investigated interactions of Acanthamoeba polyphaga with epidemic MRSA isolates. MRSA proliferated in the presence of amoebae, attributable partly to intracellular replication. Following 24 h of co-culture, confocal microscopy revealed that c. 50% amoebae had viable MRSA within phago-lysosomes and 2% of amoebae were heavily infected with viable cocci throughout the cytoplasm. Infection control strategies should recognize the contribution of protozoa.",

keywords = "Acanthamoeba, Animals, Coculture Techniques, Colony Count, Microbial, Disease Outbreaks, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Methicillin Resistance, Microscopy, Confocal, Staphylococcal Infections, Staphylococcus aureus, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't",

author = "Huws, {Sharon A} and Smith, {Anthony W} and Enright, {Mark C} and Wood, {Pauline J} and Brown, {Michael R W}",

year = "2006",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "1130--3",

journal = "Environmental Microbiology",

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T1 - Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA

AU - Huws, Sharon A

AU - Smith, Anthony W

AU - Enright, Mark C

AU - Wood, Pauline J

AU - Brown, Michael R W

PY - 2006/6

Y1 - 2006/6

N2 - The control of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is of concern worldwide. Given the evidence that several pathogenic species replicate within amoebae and emerge more virulent and more resistant and the abundance of amoebae in healthcare settings, we investigated interactions of Acanthamoeba polyphaga with epidemic MRSA isolates. MRSA proliferated in the presence of amoebae, attributable partly to intracellular replication. Following 24 h of co-culture, confocal microscopy revealed that c. 50% amoebae had viable MRSA within phago-lysosomes and 2% of amoebae were heavily infected with viable cocci throughout the cytoplasm. Infection control strategies should recognize the contribution of protozoa.

AB - The control of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is of concern worldwide. Given the evidence that several pathogenic species replicate within amoebae and emerge more virulent and more resistant and the abundance of amoebae in healthcare settings, we investigated interactions of Acanthamoeba polyphaga with epidemic MRSA isolates. MRSA proliferated in the presence of amoebae, attributable partly to intracellular replication. Following 24 h of co-culture, confocal microscopy revealed that c. 50% amoebae had viable MRSA within phago-lysosomes and 2% of amoebae were heavily infected with viable cocci throughout the cytoplasm. Infection control strategies should recognize the contribution of protozoa.

KW - Acanthamoeba

KW - Animals

KW - Coculture Techniques

KW - Colony Count, Microbial

KW - Disease Outbreaks

KW - Hydrogen-Ion Concentration

KW - Methicillin Resistance

KW - Microscopy, Confocal

KW - Staphylococcal Infections

KW - Staphylococcus aureus

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x

M3 - Article

C2 - 16689734

SN - 1462-2912

VL - 8

SP - 1130

EP - 1133

JO - Environmental Microbiology

JF - Environmental Microbiology

IS - 6

ER -

Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA

Abstract

Keywords

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