Prevalence of MRSA as an Infectious Agent in Sanitary Swimming Pools and Jacuzzis

Fatemeh Khamesi; Mohammad Hasan Ehrampoush; Vali Dad; Sara Jambarsang; Mohammad Taghi Ghaneian; FahimehTeimouri

doi:10.1007/s40201-021-00761-3

Prevalence of MRSA as an Infectious Agent in Sanitary Swimming Pools and Jacuzzis

J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2022 Jan 8;20(1):139-146. doi: 10.1007/s40201-021-00761-3. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Fatemeh Khamesi¹, Mohammad Hasan Ehrampoush², Vali Dad³, Sara Jambarsang⁴, Mohammad Taghi Ghaneian², FahimehTeimouri²

Affiliations

¹ Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
² Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
³ Medical Microbiologist (Master of Science) Reference Laboratory of Water and Wastewater, Environment and Occupational Department, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
⁴ Center for Healthcare Data Modeling, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is considered resistant to beta-lactam antibiotic groups. Infection caused by this strain is more difficult to treat with antibiotics, and hence, it will be more dangerous. This study focused on detecting the mecA gene Staphylococcus in sanitary swimming pools and Jacuzzis in Yazd city, Iran (2019). Also, the relationship between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the water quality standards has been investigated.

Materials and methods: 60 samples were randomly collected in sterile bottles from 20 active pools and Jacuzzis. Quality parameters were analyzed by standard methods. Antibiotic resistance and the mecA gene's presence were detected by the disk diffusion and PCR method, respectively.

Results: The results of this study showed that the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolates was high against erythromycin (41.20%), tetracycline (35.10%), clindamycin (28.90%), and cefoxitin (25.80%). Out of 97 samples, 9 (25.80%) strains of Staphylococcus aureus were identified as MRSA, 30 samples (30.92%) showed multiple patterns of antibiotic resistance, and 9 samples (9.27%) carried the mecA gene. The results revealed that water quality has greatly impacted the mecA gene strain presence, especially microbial parameters. On the other hand, in the presence of mecA gene strains, the averages of microbial qualities were higher than standard in Jacuzzis; the latter finding was confirmed for swimming pools due to physicochemical parameters.

Conclusion: The number of reported sanitary water is increasing, and this study's results are useful examples of these findings. Therefore, a lack of careful and regular monitoring of swimming pools and Jacuzzis can lead to MSRA prevalence and outbreak sources.

Keywords: Antibiotic Resistance; Jacuzzis; MRSA; Staphylococcus aureus; Swimming pools; mecA gene.