Prevalence of agr Dysfunction among Colonizing Staphylococcus aureus Strains

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 198; no. 8; pp. 1171 - 1174
• Main Authors: Shopsin, Bo, Drlica-Wagner, Alex, Mathema, Barun, Adhikari, Rajan P., Kreiswirth, Barry N., Novick, Richard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.10.2008; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier State - epidemiology; Carrier State - microbiology; Carrier State - transmission; Child, Preschool; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Hemolysin Proteins - genetics; Hemolysin Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Mutation; Nose - microbiology; Peptides, Cyclic; Prevalence; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - transmission; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Staphylococcus aureus - growth & development; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Infection; Prevalence; Microbiology; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Micrococcaceae; Epidemiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Strain
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/592051

Mutations in the staphylococcal virulence regulator gene agr frequently occur during Staphylococcus aureus infection. Whether agr-defective strains are fit for colonization, an important prerequisite for infection, is unknown. Screening by means of assays to detect δ-hemolysin activity and agr autoinducing peptide production indicated that 15 (~9%) of 160 healthy human subjects were colonized with an agr-defective strain or a mixture of agr-positive and -defective S. aureus strains. The presence of identical agr-defective strains in family members suggests that these strains are transmissible. Additionally, carriage of an agr-defective strain was associated with hospitalization, raising the possibility that such strains may be selected in a nosocomial setting.