- N Ben Saida: Laboratoire de microbiologie et d'immunologie, UR 16/02, CHU F. Hached, avenue Ibn-Jazzar, 4000 Sousse, Tunisia.
OBJECTIVE: The methicillin resistance of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA is a major problem for human infections. The authors present a genotypic study of these bacteria to understand the spreading of these strains in a university hospital.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected 19 strains of MRSA (September 2003-March 2004) for which the presence of gene mecA had been confirmed by PCR. They were then genotyped in pulsed-field Gel electrophoresis (CHEF variety).
RESULTS: Resistant strains accounted for 12.9% of all collected S. aureus strains. Most samples came from patients hospitalized or consulting in dermatology. Eleven different antibiotypes and four genotypic profiles were determined: type A (with 8 subtypes), type B (with 2 subtypes), type C, and D.
CONCLUSION: MRSA strains have a multiclonal distribution in our hospital with a dominant endemic clone in the dermatological unit. Skin infections are the main hospital source for these strains.