Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a specific strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has developed antibiotic resistance to all penicillins, including methicillin and other narrow-spectrum β-lactamase-resistant penicillin antibiotics. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence methicillin resistant S. aureus strains in patients suffering from wound infections and septicemia, in Mansoura University Hospitals (MUHs). A total of 29 MRSA strains were isolated from nosocomially infected patients. All isolates were subjected to antibiogram comparison, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for amplifying mecA, oxacillin agar screen test and latex agglutination test. PCR detected 18 out of 29 strains (62.1%), oxacillin agar detected 22 out of 29 strains (75.9%), while latex screen showed 25 out of 29 MRSA strains (86.2%); P
Key words: methicillin resistance, mecA gene, PCR, Staphylococcus aureus, nosocomial infection, MRSA.
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