Detection of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene in MRSA using real-time polymerase chain reaction

Aims: Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) is a biocomponent cytotoxin and putative Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor connected to the skin and soft tissue infections as well as more severe symptoms, including necrotizing pneumonia.Community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus has been connected to pvl (CA-MRSA).This study aims to detect the presence of the pvl gene in CA-MRSA strains using rapid real-time PCR.Methodology and results: 92 urine samples for isolation community-acquired S. aureus from patients at the private laboratories (Dr.Mohammed Salih and Al-Usra medical laboratories in Karbala city, Iraq) were used in the study.Patients had a range of ailments.All isolates were identified using colony morphology on mannitol salt agar medium, Gram stain, catalase, coagulase, indole, methyl red, urease and DNase reactions.Tests for biochemical and antibiogram susceptibility were performed using walkaway MIC plates.Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) examined MRSA strains for penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) and the pvl gene.Of the 38 community-acquired S. aureus isolates, 6(31.57%) were methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains, while 13(68.42%)were methicillinresistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains.Three (15.78%)MRSA isolates had false negative PBP2a detection results from the mastalex kit.Real-time PCR only identified the pvl gene in 6 isolates (31.57%).All MRSA strains tested positive for resistance to -lactam, cephalosporin and carbapenem antibiotics.Tetracycline, aminoglycosides and vancomycin resistance rates were 91.4%, 70.7% and 5.2 %, respectively.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: In recent years, methicillin-resistant S. aureus has become a significant cause of infections in the two hospitals and the general public.Infection control procedures must be implemented to prevent this bacterium's spread and ensure quick and accurate detection.According to this study, the presence of the pvl gene cannot be used as a sole marker for CAMRSA, and further investigation is required to find a reliable marker or set of markers to help identify CA-MRSA strains.