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Alireza Shayestehfar

Alireza Shayestehfar

Academic rank: Assistant Professor
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5047-3303
Education: PhD.
ScopusId: 6507091716
HIndex:
Faculty: Science
Address: Arak University
Phone:

Research

Title
Detection of Staphylococcus aureus and their toxin genes inhabit on the scorpions surface
Type
JournalPaper
Keywords
Scorpions · Staphylococcus aureus · Toxin genes · Methicillin-resistant
Year
2022
Journal Archive of Microbiology
DOI
Researchers Mehdi Moradikian ، Majid Komijani ، Alireza Shayestehfar

Abstract

Abstract The transmission of infectious agents by arthropods is of particular importance. Every year, many people are bitten by scorpions around the world. Staphylococcus aureus is of the most important infectious bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of S. aureus in scorpion specimens and the presence of some toxin genes in these species. The fauna of scorpions in the Kuhdasht region was studied for one year. Then, S. aureus was identified on the body surface of scorpions by biochemical and molecular methods, and the presence of Sea, Seb, Sec, Sed, See, Pvl, Tsst1, Eta, Etb, and mecA genes was examined by the PCR method. The pattern of antibiotic resistance was determined by the use disk diffusion method. MRSA isolates were identified using genotypic and phenotypic methods. Of 75 studied scorpion specimens, Hottentotta saulcyi was the most abundant species. Sixteen (21.3%) isolates of S. aureus were identified from all samples. The highest and lowest antibiotic resistance levels belonged to penicillin and clindamycin, respectively. MRSA was observed in 50% of the isolates. Thirteen out of 16 isolates possessed at least one of the toxin genes. Due to the presence of S. aureus on the body surface of scorpions, it should always be expected that an infection may occur after the bite. Moreover, the presence of toxin genes in the studied isolates showed that infection with these bacteria would seriously threaten one’s health.