Molecular analysis of the ica adhesion gene in Staphylococcus aureus strains, isolated from inert surfaces in clinical and hospital areas

Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous bacterium that has managed to inhabit various inert surfaces. The ability of S. aureus to form biofilms is considered an important virulence factor that influences its survival and persistence in the environment. Biofilm formation in S. aureus is determined by a production mechanism called Polysaccharide Intracellular Adhesin (PIA). The ica (intercellular adhesion) operon comprises four genes that encode the proteins IcaA, IcaB, IcaC, and IcaD, which aim to produce PIA. To detect the frequency of genes that regulate adhesion in Staphylococcus aureus isolated strains from different inert surfaces. Fifty-nine positive samples of Staphylococcus aureus were used, from which the alkaline lysis process obtained DNA. The endpoint PCR assay allowed amplification of the genes, and the amplicons were separated by electrophoresis on agarose gels and observed on a UV transilluminator. Among the 59 S. aureus strains, 39% were positive for icaA, 86.4% for icaB, 84.7% for icaC, and all strains carried icaD. This study found no statistically significant relationship between the presence of icaA, icaB, icaC, and icaD genes and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It is evident that there is a statistically significant relationship between the gene icaA and the different inert surfaces in hospital areas and dental offices.