High rate of qacA- and qacB-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from chlorhexidine-impregnated catheter-related bloodstream infections.

Abstract

Chlorhexidine has been widely used for infection control. Although the use of chlorhexidine-impregnated catheters has reduced catheter-related infections, chlorhexidine-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has emerged. The correlation between the existence of the chlorhexidine-resistant genes qacA and qacB (qacA/B) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates and the effectiveness of chlorhexidine-impregnated catheters in the prevention of MRSA infections is unknown. Sixty methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and 96 MRSA isolates from the blood cultures of different patients were collected, and a case-control study was conducted to determine whether more clinical S. aureus isolates from chlorhexidine-impregnated catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) have the biocide-resistant genes (qacA/B or smr) than those from other infections. The chlorhexidine MIC(50)s of MSSA and MRSA isolates were 1 μg/ml and 2 μg/ml, respectively. Results of PCR analyses showed that 3.3% (n = 2) of MSSA and 43.8% (n = 42) of MRSA isolates harbored qacA/B and 5% (n = 3) of MSSA and 25% (n = 24) of MRSA isolates contained smr. With multivariate logistic regression analyses, the significant risk factors for definite CRBSI with chlorhexidine-impregnated catheters were determined to be S. aureus isolates with qacA/B and a chlorhexidine MIC of ≥2 μg/ml (odds ratios [OR], 9.264 and 8.137, respectively, in all 156 S. aureus isolates and 6.097 and 4.373, respectively, in the 96 MRSA isolates). Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the transmission of these biocide-resistant genes.

• Authors: Cheng-Mao Ho, Chi-Yuan Li, Mao-Wang Ho, Chien-Yu Lin, Shu-Hui Liu, Jang-Jih Lu
• Journal: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy (Antimicrob Agents Chemother) Vol. 56 Issue 11 Pg. 5693-7 (Nov 2012) ISSN: 1098-6596 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22908163 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Anti-Infective Agents, Local
• Bacterial Proteins
• Membrane Transport Proteins
• QacB protein, Staphylococcus aureus
• qacA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
• Chlorhexidine

Topics

• Aged
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Anti-Infective Agents, Local (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Bacteremia (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Bacterial Proteins (analysis, genetics)
• Case-Control Studies
• Catheter-Related Infections (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Central Venous Catheters (microbiology)
• Chlorhexidine (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Membrane Transport Proteins (analysis, genetics)
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (drug effects, genetics, isolation & purification)
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Middle Aged
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Staphylococcal Infections (drug therapy, microbiology)