Molecular Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Khartoum Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance has become a great public health problem worldwide and multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been widely reported.
Methods: The presence or absence of methicillin resistance gene (mecA) in 48 clinical wound isolates of S. aureus was examined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results were analyzed in parallel to the disk diffusion method by oxacillin (1 μg). Polymerase chain reaction was amplified at a sequence of mecA gene at 1319 bp.
Results: Nine (18.75%) out of the 48 isolates and were found to be identical to those of disk diffusion test. All strains were studied for their susceptibility to traditionally used antibiotics. The results revealed that multi-drug resistance was common among MRSA strains. The drug of choice for the treatment of MRSA and MSSA was vancomycin.
Conclusion: The study concluded that multiple antibiotic resistance was common, and the PCR assay can be used to confirm MRSA infection.

Key words: MRSA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR).