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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, May 2007, p. 1561-1564, Vol. 45, No. 5
0095-1137/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.02071-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcus saprophyticus Isolated from Women with Uncomplicated Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infection

Department of Infectious Diseases, Östersund Hospital, SE-831 83 Östersund, Sweden,¹ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases,² Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bacteriology, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden,³ Vännäs Primary Health Care Centre, SE-911 82 Vännäs, Sweden⁴

Received 9 October 2006/ Returned for modification 18 November 2006/ Accepted 25 February 2007

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. Little is known about the molecular epidemiology of S. saprophyticus UTIs. In the current study, we compared 76 isolates of S. saprophyticus prospectively isolated from women with uncomplicated UTI participating in a randomized placebo-controlled treatment trial performed in northern Sweden from 1995 to 1997 with 50 strains obtained in 2006 from five different locations in northern Europe with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The aim was to elucidate the molecular epidemiology of this uropathogenic species and to investigate whether specific clones are associated with UTI in women. A total of 47 different PFGE profiles were detected among the 126 analyzed isolates. Ten clusters consisting of 5 to 12 isolates each showing PFGE DNA similarity of >85% were identified. Several clusters of genetically highly related isolates were detected in the original trial as well as among isolates obtained during 2006 from different locations. In the original trial, clonal persistence was found among 16 of 21 (76%) patients examined in the placebo group at follow-up 8 to 10 days after inclusion, indicating a low spontaneous short-time bacteriological cure rate. We conclude that multiple clones of S. saprophyticus were causing lower UTIs in women. The result suggests that some human-pathogenic clones of S. saprophyticus are spread over large geographical distances and that such clones may persist over long periods of time.

Published ahead of print on 7 March 2007.

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