Molecular Detection and Characterization of the and Isolated from Hospitalized Patients and Healthcare Workers in Iran.

BACKGROUND

The present study is aimed at surveying the antibiotics resistance profile, biofilm formation ability, staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) types, and molecular epidemiology of and isolated from hospitalized patients and healthcare workers in four teaching hospitals in Iran.

METHODS

In total, 43 and 12 were isolated from hospitalized patients, and 19 and 7 isolated from healthcare workers were included in the present study. The antimicrobial resistance profile of isolates was determined using the disk diffusion method. Moreover, the resistance of isolates to methicillin was identified using the cefoxitin disk diffusion test. The microtiter-plate test was used for quantifying biofilm formation. Moreover, the frequency of and genes was determined using PCR assay. The molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant isolates was determined using SCC typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis methods.

RESULTS

Among all coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates, the highest resistance rate (81.5%) was seen for cefoxitin and cotrimoxazole. All of the isolates were susceptible to linezolid. Out of the 66 -positive isolates, the most common SCC type was the type I ( = 23; 34.8%) followed by type IV ( = 13; 19.7%). Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) assay, 27 PFGE types including 14 common types and 13 singletons were obtained among 51 methicillin-resistant (MRSE) isolates. Moreover, among 12 methicillin-resistant (MRSH) isolates, 8 PFGE types were detected, of which 5 PFGE types were singletons.

CONCLUSION

The high rate of resistance to antibiotics as well as the possibility of cross-infection shows the importance of a pattern shift in the management and controlling programs of coagulase-negative staphylococci, especially in healthcare centers. The present study is not a clinical trial study. Thus, a registration number is not required.