ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERN OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA) STRAINS ISOLATED OF CLINICAL SPECIMENS IN AHVAZ, IRAN

Background and Aim:Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an important pathogen causing hospital-associated infections. Because of emerging resistance to many antimicrobial drugs, treatment of this bacterium is difficult. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have emerged as a clinically relevant human pathogen. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and pattern of antibiotic resistance among MSRA strains isolated from patient in Ahvaz hospitals.Methods:In this descriptive study, Staphylococcus aureus isolates has been collected from hospitals of Ahvaz city. Biochemical and phenotypic tests were performed to identify MRSA strains. Determination of antibiotic resistance pattern of MRSA strains was done using disk diffusion method against nine antibiotics based on CLSI protocol. Antibiotic disks were included erythromycin, clindamycin, penicillin, methicillin, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, ciprofeloxacin, gentamycin and imipenem. To determine the resistance and sensitive to methicillin cefoxitin disk (30 μg) was used.Results:In this descriptive study, 155 samples were collected from patients during 9 month. Antibiotic resistance pattern was reported as follow: penicillin (97%), methicillin (94%), ceftazidime (93.5%), cefoxitin (77.5%), erythromycin (72%), clindamycin (62%), ciprofeloxacin (60%), gentamycin (54%) and imipenem (55%). Sixty five (42%) of the bacterial samples were resistant to all antibioticsConclusion:The high frequency of antibiotic resistance among these strains indicates the improper administration of antibiotics in a non-bacterial infections, incomplete course of treatment and easy access to antibiotics. These reasons can help the development of multi-resistance isolates.

Keywords:

Staphylococcus aureus , Methicillin , MRSA , Antibiotic resistance