Molecular Investigation of Staphylococcus aureus , coa and spa Genes in Ahvaz Hospitals, Staff Nose Compared With Patients Clinical Samples

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the important human pathogens which are mainly isolated from wound, skin and contaminated respiratory excretions. Because many of hospital staff and patients carry this pathogen in their nose or skin, close contacts and touching have special role in spreading the infection in hospitals. Also, antibiotic resistant S. aureus, especially Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have been seen among subjects. Thus, there should be an investigation for Bacteria colonization in nose of hospital staff and patients. Furthermore, investigation of antibiotic resistance pattern and examination of genotyping properties of resistant strains have a high efficacy in control and recognition of infection origin. Objective: The current study aimed to determine the characteristics of S. aureus isolated from patients and staff in hospitals and compare them based on coa and spa typing methods. Materials and Methods: In the current study, 157 clinical specimens were collected from patients who were treated at the Ahvaz medical university hospitals including 79 specimens (50.3) from Sina hospital, 34 specimens (21.7) from Imam Khomeini hospital, and 44 specimens (28) from Golestan hospital and 157 nose swab specimens from the staff of these hospitals were collected during 2010. coa, spa genes of isolated Bacteria were amplified using PCR. Result: PCR results showed seven different patterns for staff and five different patterns for patients based on spa gene, and for coa gene five and six different patterns respectively. In addition, the prevalence of MRSA was 52.5 in staff and 83.7 in patients' specimens. Comparison of genetic diversity of spa, and coa genes in Ahvaz university hospitals doesn't show significant difference (Chi-square and fisher's exact test). Concloutions: The outcome of this study show that spa and coa typing are suitable methods for MRSA isolates typing because it is easy to use and interpret them, and that these methods can be useful in infection source detection and its control especially in epidemic situations. © 2013, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences.