Detection of tstH Gene in Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Hospitalized Burnt Children

Abstract

Background: The main cause of toxic shock is TSST-1 toxin which is produced by S. aureus. Finding of TSST-1 toxin in burnt children is very important to prevent TSS and its consequences. Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of gene encoding TSST-1 toxin in wound specimens by PCR. In this case-control study, 90 children who were admitted to the burn unit, were divided in two groups of 45 patients, namely febrile (cases group) and non-febrile (control group). Samplings were done from the burn wounds and were tested by PCR with specific primers of tstH gene. Finally, all data including demographic characteristics, percentage of burnt surface severity and the PCR results were analyzed, statistically. Results: The positive PCR results indicated the expression of tstH gene in 37.7% of the febrile children and 11.1% of the non-febrile children with a statistically significant difference (p <0.003). The means and the standard deviations for the percentage of burnt surfaces (i.e. severity) in the samples with the positive and negative PCR results were 30.9±16.93 and 20.09±11.02, respectively with a statistically significant difference (p <0.01). No difference with respect to age and sex could be detected between positive and negative PCR results. Conclusion: A direct association between the expression of tstH and the occurrence of fever in the burnt children was observed. Furthermore, increased surface area of the wounds was also positively related to the expression of tstH.

Keywords

• Polymerase chain reaction
• Burns
• Toxic Shock syndrome toxin-1
• Fever