Cover Sheet

Virulence Factors in Hospital and Community Acquired Staphyloccus aureus

Dollar Amount Requested from Undergraduate Research Funds: $3000_________

Behling, Hayden; Panahi, Reza; Whittier, Cassie________________________
Student Name (last, first)

128; 118; 131________________   Fall 2005; Spring 2005; Fall 2005
Total Number of Credits Completed   Anticipated Graduation (term/year) *
       (*  funds may NOT be spent after graduation)

Wright, Scott_____________________________________________
Faculty Mentor Name (last, first)

Clinical Laboratory Science, 3905, Dumke College of Health Professions_____
Faculty Mentor Department, Mail Code, and College

This project __X_ DOES ____ DOES NOT require review by the WSU Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects or the WSU Animal Care and Use Committee.

__________________________________   _________________
Student Signature      Date

__________________________________   _________________
Project Mentor Signature     Date

____3905__________  _____6716________ 
Campus Mail Code  Phone Extension 

__________________________________   _________________
Undergraduate Research Committee Representative  Date

__________________________________   _________________
Faculty Mentor Department Chair    Date

Project description:
      Within the last five years, there has been an increase in community acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Before this increase, MRSA was predominantly seen in hospital acquired infections (infections acquired after seventy-two hours of hospitalization) and very rarely in healthy individuals in the community (Etienne 631). However, more recently there have been cases of MRSA showing up in young healthy individuals worldwide. These infections have shown to be very invasive and often lead to the death of the individual. Diagnosis of some of these patients revealed that the cause of death was an invasive infection known as Staphylococcal Necrotizing Pneumonia. The invasiveness of the community acquired MRSA has been linked to a gene known as the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin gene which codes for the production of a toxin known as Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) (Vandenesch 978). This increase in virulence of Staphylococcus aureus poses additional health-risks not only to immuno-compromised patients, but also to the general public. These types of infections result in longer hospitalization and increased healthcare costs (Pombo).

      For the past several years, LDS Hospital has been collecting Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patient cultures for use in conducting research to study the prevalence of the PVL and other virulence genes in the intermountain area.  The hospital has granted us access to these samples for analysis to be conducted in conjunction with LDS Hospital Infectious Disease and Molecular Pathology physicians and staff.

      The objective of this project will be to compare the relationship between antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, the prevalence of three virulence genes, and clinical outcomes of infections caused by hospital acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA), community acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), and Methicillin Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).  A second objective will be to evaluate if the presence of these genes play a roll in the severity of these infections. 

     This project will be carried out independently by the students and personnel at LDS Hospital, using the hospital facilities.  The students will report back periodically to the WSU faculty mentor.

     The three students involved in this project are ASCP certified Medical Laboratory Technicians and are currently employed in laboratories at Ogden Regional Medical Center, LDS Hospital, and McKay Dee Hospital. All three have had experience with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), antimicrobial susceptibility panels, and clinical microbiology.

     The results of this research project will be presented at the Utah Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (USCLS) Spring Seminar in April and at the Weber State University Undergraduate Research Symposium in March. The findings will also be submitted to the National Undergraduate Research Symposium, as well as submission for publication to at least one microbiology or clinical pathology medical journal.

Project methods and timeline:
      Students involved in this project have completed the IRB training, and will submit their project in October for IRB approval. (Please see comments on the Faculty Mentor Recommendation Form).

      120 samples each of HA-MRSA, CA-MRSA, and MSSA will be run on the Dade Behring Microscan Walkaway to obtain anabiograms (antimicrobial susceptibility patterns). A PCR assay will be run for each of three virulence genes (including PVL) on each sample, using the Tagman assay on the ABI PCR machine. Clinical outcomes, including details on length of hospitalization and cost of patient stay, will be obtained for use in comparing the three strains.  Patient names will be kept confidential.

      The antimicrobial susceptibilities and PCR assays will be completed by February 1, 2005.  February through April 2005 will be spent compiling data and composing a paper describing the findings of the study.  Also during this time, a presentation for USCLS Spring Seminar and undergraduate research symposium at Weber State University will be prepared. 

Project Budget:
     The total cost to analyze each sample is approximately $11.00 (antimicrobial susceptibility panel is approximately $5.00, and the cost per PCR assay is approximately $6.00).  Also needed is approximately $180 in miscellaneous supplies (i.e. pipette tips, test tubes etc.). The total cost to conduct this project will be approximately $5220.  LDS hospital will fund $1500 of the project costs.  The hospital has also offered to pay an hourly stipend to the students of $10/hr for 72 man-hours of labor. $3000 of Undergraduate Research funds will be needed to finance the research.

References:
Etienne, Jerome , et al. “Relationships between Stapylococcus aureus Genetic Background, Virulence Factors, agr Groups (Alleles), and Human Disease.” Infection and Immunity 70 (2002): 631-641.

Pombo, David M.D. Personal Interview, LDS Hospital. 20 Sept. 2004.

Vandenesch, Francois, et al. “Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Carrying Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Genes: Worldwide Emergence.” Emerging Infectious Disease 9 (2003): 978-984.

2004-05 WSU Undergraduate Research Budget Worksheet
Revised May 2004

NOTE – Equipment and left-over materials purchased with this grant will remain the property of WSU