Virulence factors produced by strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from urinary tract infections

Staphylococcus aureus infections are widely prevalent in West Africa and are often associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Virulence factors from S. aureus have rarely been described for such infections. The purpose of the current study was to determine the prevalence of toxins and adhesion factors obtained from S. aureus isolated from presumed primary UTIs at the Cotonou University Hospital (CUH) in Benin as compared with the Strasbourg University Hospital (SUH) in France. Both ambulatory and hospitalised patients were included in the study. Sixty-five independent strains of S. aureus from CUH and 35 strains from SUH were obtained over a four-month period. Virulence factors were characterised by immunodetection or multiplex polymerase chain reaction, and meticillin susceptibility was recorded. Approximately 50% of all isolates produced at least one enterotoxin. No isolate from SUH produced Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL), whereas 21.5% of the S. aureus isolates from CUH produced PVL (P < 0.01). Six of 14 (43%) PVL-positive isolates were meticillin-resistant. At SUH, the incidence of MRSA (57%) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than at CUH (14%). Genes encoding clumping factor B, and elastin and laminin binding proteins were detected in almost all isolates (80%), irrespective of the geographical origin. The results for elastin binding protein differed significantly from published data regarding isolates from other clinical origins. Staphylococcal toxins and adhesion factors may be important in the physiopathology of UTI. © 2007 The Hospital Infection Society.