Study of the Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates and the Presence of Vancomycin-Resistant Isolates in Clinical Samples
Subject Areas : biologyُSanaz Rahimi 1 , Katayoun Borhani 2
1 - Biology Department, Islamic Azad university,Tehran Central Branch, Iran
2 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch,Iran
Keywords: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycin resistant, Nosocomial infection,
Abstract :
Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common and significant nosocomial pathogens. Due to the increasing resistance of these bacteria to antibiotics, they have become one of the most important health problems worldwide.
Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of this bacterium in various hospital wards and the frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates, as well as the potential isolation of vancomycin-resistant isolates in clinical samples.
Materials and Methods: 138 clinical samples were collected from various wards of six hospitals in Tehran and were identified as Staphylococcus aureus through biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method with thirteen antibiotics. The prevalence of the mecA and vanA genes in resistant isolates was determined using PCR.
Results: Most clinical samples were collected from the ICU, particularly related to urinary tract infections in women and bronchial washings in men. The majority of isolates were from the 30 to 50-year-old age group. The highest and lowest resistance rates were reported against penicillin (99%) and Synercid (0%), respectively. Although 87 isolates (62.9%) contained the mecA gene and were identified as MRSA, none of them contained the vanA gene.
Conclusion: The development of antibiotic resistance in hospital-acquired infections is one of the most significant challenges in treatment. Precise and continuous monitoring of resistance genes is of great importance.
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