Frequency of superantigen encoding genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and nasal carriers

Bacterial superantigens are potent T cell activators that can have acute or chronic effects on the central nervous system. In this study, the role of enterotoxins, exfoliative toxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated in MS patients and healthy nasal carriers. Three-hundred fifty nasal swabs were collected from healthy nasal carriers (n = 210) and MS (n = 140) patients. Staphylococcus aureus superantigens were detected by multiplex PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was performed using disk diffusion method. The highest rates of nasal colonization were seen in MS patients (46.42%). The rates of nasal colonization in the healthcare workers were 30.95%. The most commonly detected superantigens were SEA (31.5%), SEB (17.7%) and ETA (16.9%). The Staphylococcus aureus isolates had the highest levels of resistance against erythromycin (57.7%), clindamycin (55.4%) and co-trimoxazole (43.1%). All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, linezolid, and mupirocin. Our results revealed that the frequency of superantigen producing Staphylococcus aureus isolates is high in the MS patients. As well as these isolates are sensitive to mupirocin. Thus it is better to use of mupirocin for nasal decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus in the MS patients. •There was a significant relationship between some of the S. aureus super antigens and Multiple sclerosis disease.•The role of enterotoxin A and enterotoxin B in the exacerbation of disease is greater among other super antigens of S. aureus.•Other super antigens of S. aureus had no significant difference in exacerbating Multiple sclerosis disease.