Some virulence genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from infected vascular accesses in hemodialysis patients at Assiut University Hospitals

We aimed in this work to detect bacterial pathogens causing infection of the vascular accesses in hemodialysis patients and demonstration of important genes responsible for virulence and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus isolates namely; spa, mecA, PVL, γ-hemolysin, and icaA genes. The study was conducted from March 2018 to September 2020 and included 90 patients with infected hemodialysis accesses. Blood samples were collected for blood culture. Distal catheter end was cut and placed in brain heart infusion broth. Total bacterial isolates were 234. Samples were identified by conventional bacteriological methods. Virulent genes In Staph. aureus were detected by PCR. Staph. aureus was the most common isolated microorganism. Fifty (96.25%) of the 52 Staph. aureus isolates were mecA gene positive. The most common spa genotype was at S3 followed by S2. Forty of 52 (76.90 %) Staph. aureus isolates were icaA positive. Only 2(3.85%) Staph. aureus isolates were gamma-hemolysin positive. All 52 isolates of Staph. aureus were negative for Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene.