Shaghayegh Rezai - Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Reza Valadan - Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Fatemeh Ahangarkani - Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Mohammad Sadegh Rezai - Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

Background: The Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains cause wide spectrum infections in hospitals and are responsible for the majority of the community-acquired infections. The emergence of community-acquired MRSA in patients without risk factors represents a high risk for public health.  Objectives: In this study, we aimed to molecular typing the nasal carriage MRSA strains harbored mecA gene isolated from healthy children living in the North of Iran and also to determine the pattern of vancomycin susceptibility in these isolates.   Methods: The MRSA strains were identified using standard microbiological and molecular procedures. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed according to the clinical and laboratory standards institute. The MRSA strains were characterized by spa typing.  Results: In total, ۱۴ different patterns of spa genes were obtained from MRSA isolates in this study, which included t۷۹۰ (۲۳.۰۷%), t۲۹۶۲ (۱۵.۳۸%), t۲۶۷ (۱۵.۳۸%), t۱۵۹ (۷.۶۹%) and t۷۰۱, t۰۹۴, t۱۸۱۶, t۱۱۳۳۲, t۹۳۷, t۲۱۳۵, t۱۸۰, t۱۶۰ [۱ (۳.۸۴%) isolate per each type]. The rate of resistant isolates to cefoxitin, , cefalotin, clindamycin, cefazolin, co-amoxiclav, co-trimoxazole, and cephalexin antibiotics were ۶۹.۲۳%, ۱۰۰%, ۴۶.۱۵%, ۹۶.۱۵%, ۱۰۰%, ۳.۴۸%, and ۱۰۰%, respectively. In total, six (۲۳.۰۷%) revealed vancomycin-intermediate resistant phenotype and five (۱۹.۲۳%) isolates revealed vancomycin-resistant S. aureus phenotype. Conclusions: This study showed the different variants of MRSA strains based on molecular typing, among healthy children. Continuous surveillance studies to monitor MRSA should be encouraged to gain a better understanding of the circulating MRSA strains and prevent community spread of this pathogen.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Molecular typing, Children, Community-acquired infections