Present address: Department of Plant, Animal and Microbial Science, Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, UK.
1462-2920/asset/bannerforeground.gif?v=1&s=5c28d88462ce8090b4bcf17a7f3ee46a21cfcc52)
Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA
Article first published online: 16 FEB 2006
DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x
Additional Information
How to Cite
Huws, S. A., Smith, A. W., Enright, M. C., Wood, P. J. and Brown, M. R. W. (2006), Amoebae promote persistence of epidemic strains of MRSA. Environmental Microbiology, 8: 1130–1133. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.00991.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 FEB 2006
- Article first published online: 16 FEB 2006
- Received 10 October, 2005; accepted 14 December, 2005.
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Summary
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.