Typing of methicilin-resistant staphylococcus aureus by quantitative antibiogram and arbitrarily primed PCR

Abstract EN

A total of 34 isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) obtained from Rqfidya hospital, Nablus, Palestine was analyzed by quantitative antibiogram and arbitrarily-primed PCR.

Quantitative antibiogram typing classified the isolates into 13 groups.

The use ofAP-PCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed us to define 21 different clusters.

Three major clusters, however, based on the combination of both typing methods, represented 44% of the isolates.

Resistance rates of MRSA isolates were ciprofloxacin, 27%; clindamycin, 47%; erythromycin, 88%; gentamicin, 71% and co-trimoxazole 3%.

No resistance to vancomycin was observed.

Eight (53%) of the cluster isolates were noted to be multiple resistant, i.e., resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and gentamicin or clindamycin