Prevalence of Exfoliative and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin Genes in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Clinical Specimens in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains possessing virulence genes encoding such toxins as exfoliative toxins (ETs), toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), is worrying, especially in relation to the increasing frequency of nosocomial infections. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of genes encoding ETs and TSST-1 in MRSA isolates by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that out of 88 investigated MRSA isolates, tst and etb toxin gene were found in 3 (3.4%) and 2 (2.3%) respectively, while none eta toxin genes were detected. It was concluded that the incidence of ET and TSST-1encoding genes among MRSA isolates in Makkah is lower or near to the global prevalence.