Full Length Research Paper

Toxins and adhesion factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from diarrhoeal patients in Benin

L. Baba-Moussa^1*, H. Ahissou¹, P. Azokpota², B. Assogba¹, M. M. Atindéhou¹, S. Anagonou³, D. Keller⁴, A. Sanni¹ and G. Prévost⁴

¹Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire, FAST, Université Abomey-Calavi, 04BP0320 Cotonou, Benin.

²Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Biotechnologie du Département de Nutrition et Sciences Alimentaires de la Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques de l’UAC, 01 BP 526 Cotonou, Bénin.

³Service de Bactériologie, CHU Hubert MAGA, 06 BP 1158 Cotonou Bénin.

⁴Unité de Physiopathologie et Médecine Translationnelle, Institut de Bactériologie de la Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg-Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Rue Koeberlé 3, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: laminesaid@yahoo.fr. Tel: +229 90942906.

Abbreviations: Antibiotics: Ox, Oxacillin; PeG, Penicillin G; VA, Vancomycin; TEC, Teicoplanin; RA, Rifampicin; FA, Fusidic acid; GM, Gentamicin; K, Kanamycin; T, Tobramycin; Cl, Chloramphenicol; SXT, Trimetroprim sulfamethozolin; OXF, Ofloxacin; PT, Pristinamycin; LZ, Linezolid; E, Erythromicin. Enterotoxins: E (see), G (seg), H (seh), K (sek), L (sel), T (set), etd, epidermolysin D; adhesion factors: fnbA and fnbB, Fibronectin Binding Proteins A and B; bbp, Bone Sialoprotein Binding Protein; clfb, Clumping Factor B; fib, Elastin Binding Protein; ebp, Fibrinogen Binding Protein; lbp, Laminin Binding Protein; ETA, Epidermolysins A; ETB, Epidermolysins B.

Accepted 13 November, 2009

   Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a causative agent of acute and infectious diarrhoea. In Africa, there is no sufficient information on the virulence and the degree of factors produced by its diarrhoea-isolated strains. Clinical features and virulence factors produced by S. aureus isolated from diarrhoeal-patients admitted at the Hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga (HKM) in Cotonou was investigated. The virulence factors were screened by radial immunoprecipitation and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fifteen antibiotics were tested. Among independent 115 patients examined for diarrhoea, 32 had faeces positive for S. aureus isolated as pure culture. Most of these patients were hospitalized (21/32) and developed aqueous, bloody and painful diarrhoea, after antimicrobial therapy. About 62% were resistant to oxacillin. Genes encoding for clumping factor B and for laminin binding protein were detected in 62% of S. aureus isolates. About 94% of LukE-LukD producing strains have been isolated from patients developing post-antibiotic associated diarrhoea (PAAD). The Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL) was produced by 19% of isolates, all from PAAD. This study points out new data concerning virulence factors and adhesion factor produced by S. aureus strains isolated from diarrhoea in Benin. The culture of the faeces will not always allow the diagnosis. It is important to update a technique, which enables researchers to carry out the virulence factors produced by these bacteria.

Key words: Adhesion factors, diarrhoea, enterotoxins, Staphylococcus aureus, leucotoxins, Benin, Africa, PCR.