The Frequency of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Strains Isolated from Patients of a Teaching Hospital in Isfahan City, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from clinical specimens.

This study was performed on clinical samples in a teaching hospital in Isfahan City, Iran. Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were identified using standard laboratory and molecular assessments. Antibiotic resistance pattern of MRSA isolates was evaluated by disk diffusion method based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed for the identification of mecA gene.

125 strains of Staphylococcus aureus were identified by biochemical and molecular methods. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains was 40%. The highest number of MRSA isolates was related to wound samples, and the highest resistance of MRSA strains after resistance to penicillin (100%), was to the antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin (92%). 17 different antibiotic patterns were identified among MRSA strains.

The data revealed that 40% of Staphylococcus aureus strains were methicillin-resistant. The highest number of MRSA isolates was related to wound samples.