Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated in Saudi Arabia: epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) comprised about 7.5% per annum of all S. aureus isolated in a general hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during the 3 year period 1990-1992. Most isolates were from wound sites (71%). Resistance to gentamicin (83%) and tetracycline (93%) was frequently observed whilst resistance to ciprofloxacin (1%) and rifampicin (6%) was uncommon. Low levels of mupirocin resistance (MIC 8 mg l-1), were detected in 3% of all MRSA isolates.