Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Diabetic Foot Infections (DFI) from Beira, Mozambique: Prevalence and Virulence Profile

A high presence of virulence genes encoding exotoxins and colonization and adhesion factors, associated with a high rate of multidrug resistance, was found in <i>S. aureus</i> isolates. This anticipates increasing difficulty in treating DFI. The greatest resistance was to commonly used antibiotics, particularly penicillin, cefoxitin and vancomycin, with resistance genes, <i>blaZ, mecA</i> and <i>vancA</i>, frequently detected. This emphasizes the urgent need for improved antimicrobial stewardship, routine molecular surveillance, and improved management strategies for DFI in resource-limited settings to mitigate disease complications and reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance.