The Frequency of MRSA carriers in health care workers in Gorgan, North of Iran

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important pathogen in hospitals. Healthcare personnel are the main source of nosocomial infections and identification and control of MRSA carriers can reduce incidence of infections. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and their antibiotic susceptibility profile among healthcare workers in Gorgan located in northern Iran. Three hundred and thirty three of healthcare workers were participated in this cross-sectional study in 2010. Samples were taken with sterile cotton swabs from both anterior nares. Swabs were plated onto Mannitol salt agar. S. aureus were identified by Gram stain, Catalase, Coagulase and DNase tests. MIC (micro dilution broth) method was used to determine resistance of strains to methicillin. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern to other antibiotics was performed by diffusion method. Frequency of S. aureus and MRSA carriers among healthcare workers was 24% (80.33) and 3% (10.33) respectively. MIC of isolates was varied between 0.5 and 65.31 (39%) of cases were showed MIC of intermediate that ranged between 4 and 8. Penicillin and Imipenem resistance were seen in 97.5% and 1.4% of isolated S. aureus strains, respectively. Frequency of S. aureus carriers in healthcare workers in our area was median in compare with other region in Iran but the MRSA carriage in healthy staff was lower than most part of Iran. It would be considering to monitor healthy carrier staff because of high rate intermediate MIC in this group to prevent conversion to MRSA

The Prevalence of plcD Gene and Evaluation of IS6110 Insertion Status in This Gene in Some Clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates

Abstract: Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is a dangerous and fatal infection. Phospholipid genes can be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The aims of this study were evaluation of the plcD gene prevalence and polymorphisms in some clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the position of IS6110 element in this gene. Methods: This study was conducted on 250 clinical M. tuberculosis isolates. The frequency and polymorphism of the plcD gene were detected by PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). As well as, the ability and place of the IS6110 element to insert into the plcD gene were evaluated. Results: The plcD gene was present in 88 (35.2) isolates. Among them, 73 cases (82.95) had a normal PCR product without the IS6110 element, and the size of PCR products of plcD was 2837 bp in other positive cases, which indicated the presence of the IS6110 element. Surprisingly, the plcD gene was absent in all Beijing isolates. Conclusions: Based on the data, the plcD gene is one of the normal sites for the insertion of the IS6110 element. In addition, these findings indicated that the role of plcD in the pathogenesis of TB may be covered by other plc genes, as this gene was deleted in all Beijing isolates studied in this research. © 2021, Allerton Press, Inc