Hélène Meugnier

Publications (73) View all

• Article: Epidemiological data of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in France from 1997 to 2007 and microbiological characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus associated strains.

  V Lamand, O Dauwalder, A Tristan, J S Casalegno, H Meugnier, M Bes, O Dumitrescu, M Croze, F Vandenesch, J Etienne, G Lina
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  ABSTRACT: Clin Microbiol Infect ABSTRACT: Epidemiological data on staphylococcal scalded skin syndromes (SSSS), including bullous impetigo (BI) and generalized exfoliative syndrome (GES), are scarce. To better characterize SSSS and associated Staphylococcus aureus strains, we conducted a retrospective study of 349 cases collected in France between 1997 and 2007 by the National Reference Centre of Staphylococci. Our results showed a stationary evolution of SSSS cases, with a heterogeneous distribution of cases in France. Although notification was not exhaustive, we estimated an incidence of 0.56 cases/year/million inhabitants, in accordance with previous studies conducted in France and Europe, with a median age of 2 years old and sex ratios of 1. A seasonal effect was observed, with a higher GES/BI ratio in autumn compared with other seasons, which could be explained by the impact of viral co-infection. Genetic analysis of S. aureus strains showed that accessory gene regulator (agr) 4, exfoliative toxin A (eta) and B (etb) genes, staphylococcal and enterotoxin-like O (selo) gene and agr4 etb selo profiles were predominantly associated with GES, whereas agr2 eta and agr4 eta selo were more frequently observed with BI. Only one methicillin-resistant strain was found. Protein A (spa) typing identified two main genotypes: spa clonal complex (CC) 159/sequence-type (ST) 121 (75%) and spaCC346/ST15 (18%). spaCC159 was mainly associated with agr4 eta etb selo, agr4 eta selo and agr4 etb selo, and spaCC346 was mainly associated with agr2 eta, suggesting that French SSSS cases are caused by these two main lineages. However, in a multivariate analysis, only etb was independently associated with GES.
  Clinical Microbiology and Infection 09/2012; · 4.54 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Hélène Meugnier

  Article: Species identification of staphylococci by amplification and sequencing of the tuf gene compared to the gap gene and by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

  M Bergeron, O Dauwalder, M Gouy, A-M Freydiere, M Bes, H Meugnier, Y Benito, J Etienne, G Lina, F Vandenesch, S Boisset
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  ABSTRACT: Staphylococcal species, notably, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), are frequently misidentified using phenotypic methods. The partial nucleotide sequences of the tuf and gap genes were determined in 47 reference strains to assess their suitability, practicability, and discriminatory power as target molecules for staphylococcal identification. The partial tuf gene sequence was selected and further assessed with a collection of 186 strains, including 35 species and subspecies. Then, to evaluate the efficacy of this genotyping method versus the technology of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), the 186 strains were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS (Axima® Shimadzu) coupled to the SARAMIS® database (AnagnosTec). The French National Reference Center for Staphylococci identification method was used as a reference. One hundred and eighty-four strains (98.9%) were correctly identified by tuf gene sequencing. Only one strain was misidentified and one was unidentified. MALDI-TOF-MS identified correctly 138 isolates (74.2%). Four strains were misidentified, 39 were unidentified, five were identified at the group (hominis/warneri) level, and one strain was identified at the genus level. These results confirm the value of MALDI-TOF-MS identification for common species in clinical laboratory practice and the value of the partial tuf gene sequence for the identification of all staphylococcal species as required in a reference laboratory.
  European Journal of Clinical Microbiology 10/2010; 30(3):343-54. · 2.86 Impact Factor
• Article: [Detection of the first strain of glycopeptide intermediary Staphylococcus aureus in Tunis Rabta hospital].

  M Zribi, J Etienne, D El Euch, H Zribi, M Bes, H Meugnier, A Masmoudi, A B Osman, C Fendri
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  ABSTRACT: Since the advent of the first glycopeptide intermediately susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) and its heterogeneous variant hGISA in 1997, debate still ensues as their clinical significance. We report here the first case of GISA in Rabta hospital of Tunisia. Antimicrobial resistance was determined by the disk diffusion method in accordance with CA-SFM (Comity of Antibiogramm of French society of Microbiology). The MIC of vancomycin and teicoplanin was determined by E-test. The detection of mec A gene, virulence factors genes and agr groups (1-4) was performed by multiplex PCR. spa types were determined with the assistance of Ridom of Staph Type software (Ridom GmbH, Wurburg, Germany). The allelic profiles of MRSA were assigned on the basis of their MLST type using the eBURST program. A MRSA bacteraemia patient was treated with teicoplanin for 14 days. S. aureus isolated from patient's blood culture was identified as MRSA and GISA with teicoplanin MIC of 16 mg/l. The molecular study of this strain showed that it belongs to the clonal complex CC8 and is attached to the iberian clone (agr1, enterotoxin A, ST 247, spa type t052). Clinicians and laboratories alike are increasingly aware that patients on long-term vancomycin therapy may signal the presence and potential spread of hGISA/GISA strains. hGISA/GISA strains emerged from lineages with agr types I and II. The multiresitance of the Iberian clone ST247 could be explained by the presence of several resistance genes.
  Pathologie Biologie 11/2009; 59(6):334-5. · 1.53 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Pascal Barbry

  Article: Genetic differences among Staphylococcus aureus isolates from dairy ruminant species: a single-dye DNA microarray approach.

  E Vautor, V Magnone, G Rios, K Le Brigand, D Bergonier, G Lina, H Meugnier, P Barbry, R Thiéry, M Pépin
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  ABSTRACT: Staphylococcus aureus is recognized worldwide as a major pathogen causing clinical or subclinical intramammary infections in lactating sheep, goats and cows. The present study was carried out to compare 65 S. aureus isolates mainly obtained from nasal carriage and subclinical mastitis in dairy sheep and 43 isolates obtained from subclinical mastitis from 22 goats and 21 cows. A DNA microarray, containing probes against 190 true or putative virulence factors, was used to detect the presence of the virulence genes. Their presence/absence was independently assessed by PCR for the genes of interest. Sheep isolates obtained from the nostrils or the udders did not show any significant tissue specific virulence factor. The dominant pulse-field electrophoresis profile (OV/OV'), associated with spa clonal complex spa-CC 1773, matched mainly with the agr group III and was only found in ovine and caprine isolates. This clone was more specifically characterized by the prevalence of the following virulence genes: lpl4, ssl6, bsaA1, bsaB, bsaP, SAV0812. Moreover, seven virulence-associated genes (lpl1, sel, sec, tst, lukF-PV-like component, lukM, SAV0876) were associated with isolates from small ruminants, while the egc cluster, fhuD1, abiF and SAV2496 with bovine isolates. This genomic study suggests the existence of lineage- and host-specific genes leading to the development of host-specific pathogenic traits of S. aureus isolates.
  Veterinary Microbiology 01/2009; 133(1-2):105-14. · 3.33 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Hélène Meugnier

  Article: Presence of the epidemic European fusidic acid-resistant impetigo clone (EEFIC) of Staphylococcus aureus in France.

  F Laurent, A Tristan, M Croze, M Bes, H Meugnier, G Lina, F Vandenesch, J Etienne
  Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 12/2008; 63(2):420-1; author reply 421. · 5.07 Impact Factor