Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42752936›Full record

ArticleArchives of microbiology2026

Molecular characterization of PVL-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from skin and soft tissue infections in Alexandria, Egypt.

Maged El-Ashker, Shahinda Rezk, Stefan Monecke, Mayada Gwida, Sherine Shawky, Elke Müller, Lisa Schönau, Lukas Rüttiger, Ralf Ehricht

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Article in Archives of microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Maged El-Ashker *Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt. magid_rez@mans.edu.eg.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3217-9864
Shahinda Rezk *Department of Microbiology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21561, Egypt.
Stefan MoneckeLeibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Member of the Research Alliance "Leibniz Health Technologies" and the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), 07745, Jena, Germany.
Mayada GwidaDepartment of Hygiene and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
Sherine ShawkyDepartment of Microbiology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21561, Egypt.
Elke MüllerLeibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Member of the Research Alliance "Leibniz Health Technologies" and the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), 07745, Jena, Germany.
Lisa SchönauSenova GmbH, Weimar, Germany.
Lukas RüttigerSenova GmbH, Weimar, Germany.
Ralf EhrichtLeibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Member of the Research Alliance "Leibniz Health Technologies" and the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI), 07745, Jena, Germany.

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space within the framework of "the successional project, PERFEKT 13GW0833B"LPI-BT5" 13N15717
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Data regarding the molecular epidemiology, clonal diversity, and resistance mechanisms of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in Egypt remain limited. This study aimed to characterize the clonal structure, resistance determinants, and virulence profiles of MRSA isolates from SSTIs in Alexandria, Egypt. We analyzed 38 non-duplicate MRSA isolates recovered between July and December 2024 from SSTI specimens submitted to a central microbiology laboratory serving hospitals and outpatient clinics in Alexandria, Egypt. Molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and biofilm-associated genes were performed using DNA microarray analysis, assigning isolates to clonal complexes (CCs). The diagnostic performance of lateral flow assays (LFAs) for penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) detection was evaluated against microarray results. Ten distinct CCs were identified, predominantly CC152 (28.9%) and CC1153 (23.7%). A high prevalence of PVL genes (lukS-PV/lukF-PV) was detected (78.9%), demonstrating significant lineage specificity (p < 0.001) among CC152, and CC1153. Analysis of the antimicrobial resistance gene profiles revealed a broad genotypic resistance repertoire across the collection. Notably, 78.9% carried the fusidic acid resistance gene fusC and 71.1% carried the aminoglycoside resistance gene aacA-aphD, both significantly associated with CC152 and CC1153 (p < 0.001). One isolate (2.6%; lineage CC1-MRSA-[V/VT + fus+ccrAB1]) was confirmed as vancomycin-resistant (VRSA). LFAs demonstrated 100% concordance with microarray results for both PBP2a and PVL detection. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of PVL-positive, multidrug-resistant MRSA lineages among SSTI isolates in Alexandria. The frequent detection of CC152 and CC1153 lineages co-carrying mobile genetic element (MGE)-borne resistance genes (fusC and aacA-aphD) highlights the expansion of multidrug resistance profiles among community-associated genetic backgrounds. Furthermore, the detection of a sporadic VRSA strain emphasizes the necessity of routine phenotypic susceptibility testing alongside molecular screening. The 100% concordance of LFAs supports their implementation as rapid, culture-based screening tools in laboratory diagnostic workflows to guide empirical antibiotic therapy and infection control.

Indexed as

Bacterial ToxinsExotoxinsLeukocidinsMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureusSoft Tissue InfectionsStaphylococcal Skin InfectionsAnti-Bacterial AgentsEgyptHumansMicrobial Sensitivity TestsMolecular EpidemiologyPenicillin-Binding ProteinsVirulenceVirulence FactorsAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacterial ToxinsExotoxinsLeukocidinsPanton-Valentine leukocidinPenicillin-Binding ProteinsVirulence FactorsClonal complexDNA microarrayEgyptLateral flow assayMolecular epidemiologyMRSAPVLSkin and soft tissue infections (SSTI)

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.