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URC 2023 Abstract

CJ Prew

MecA AND VanA DETECTION IN CHRONIC WOUNDS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TIME OF YEAR AND SPECIFIC GENERA

Chronic wound microbiomes, which influence healing differences, are themselves influenced by seasonally variable environmental conditions. Antimicrobial resistances (AMR) additionally complicate healing, and the goal of this work was to assess if prevalence of methicillin or vancomycin resistances conveyed by the MecA and VanA loci, respectively, varies across time. We studied clinical microbial sequencing reports (MicrogenDX) and paired qPCR testing of AMR genes (Southwest Regional Wound Care Center). Mean detections of MecA and VanA across months, seasons, and years was calculated. Timepoints were signified with 95% confidence intervals of their means non-overlapping the grand mean. MecA and VanA tests are clinically validated for Staphylococcus and Enterococcus, respectively, so the co-detection of species in these genera with the AMR loci was tabulated. Among 2,326 samples from January 2017 to April 2024, 558 were MecA + (24%) and 44 VanA + (2%). MecA had significantly higher prevalence in May, 2021, and 2023, and significantly lower prevalence in September and 2017-19. VanA had significantly lower prevalence in June, 2021 and 2023. For MecA, 83% of all positive tests were paired with positive detection of a Staphylococcal species, with 53% to S. aureus and 39% to S. epidermidis. For VanA, 63% of all positive tests were paired with positive detection of an Enterococcus species, with 45% to E. faecium, 27% to E. faecalis. This study provides preliminary support for temporal variation in AMR prevalence over time and within-year variation is consistent with local climate influences. Also, the yearly variation is consistent with long-term prevalence trends, for example, increasing MecA over time. Follow-up work integrating generalized additive modeling approaches will be used to disentangle the effects within and across years.

Presenter: 335

CJ Prew Senior College of Arts & Sciences Texas Tech University Affiliations:

Abstract: C335

Impact Area: Health

Session: C - Wed. April 2, 10:00 AM, TTU Museum Sculpture Garden

Project Author(s)

Christopher J. Prew, Sara Flores-Campa, Joseph Wolcott, Jacob Ancira, Caleb D. Philips

Mentor

Caleb Phillips Biological Sciences TTU College of Arts & Sciences