Emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) RdJ clone (CC5-ST105-SCCmecII-t002) in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

The emergence of highly successful genetic lineages of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a challenge in human healthcare due to increased morbidity and mortality rates. The RdJ clone (CC5-ST105-SCCmecII-t002 lineage), previously identified in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was linked to bloodstream infections and features a mutation in the aur gene (encoding aureolysin). Additionally, clinical isolates derived from this clone were more effective at evading monocytic immune responses. This study aimed to detect the RdJ clone among clinical MRSA isolated in Santa Catarina (SC) and examine its antimicrobial resistance and phagocytosis evasion capabilities. Our findings revealed the RdJ clone in 20 % of MRSA isolates, all exhibiting multiresistance. RdJ clone isolates from SC did not demonstrate a decreased rate of phagocytosis compared to CC5 non-RdJ isolates. Structural analysis suggests that the aur mutation is unlikely to significantly impact aureolysin activity. Genomic analysis of one isolate unveiled a genetic variant of the RdJ clone, sharing lineage and gene distribution but lacking the aur mutation. This study enhances the understanding of the clinical and epidemiologic risks associated with the RdJ clone and the biological mechanisms underlying its spreading in SC.