یاسر محمودی مورد راز - Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
رضا چمن - Dept. of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
سید علی اصغر ملک حسینی - Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
اصغر شریفی - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
سید عبدالمجید خسروانی - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
محمد طاهر رضا نژاد - Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
مریم حسنی - Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
رضا محمدی - Medicinal Plants Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
سید سجاد خرم روز - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran

Background and Objective: Based on the important role of nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus in hospital settings and their importance in the transmission of bacterium to patients and other personnel, the aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of nasal carriers, antibiotic resistance patterns and genotyping of S. aureus isolated from personnel of Shahid Beheshti hospital in Yasuj city (Iran) using the agr typing method. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of ۳۴۷ nasal samples were collected from the healthcare workers of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in order to identify S. aureus. Cefoxitin containing disks and detection of the mecA gene were used for the identification of methicillin resistant isolates. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates were tested against ۱۵ different antibiotics using the Disc Agar Diffusion method. The Multiplex-PCR method was used for the agr typing of S. aureus isolates. Results: Ninety-three (۲۶.۸%) of personnel were nasal carriers of S. aureus, among them ۹ isolates were identified as MRSA. Among agr groups, agrI (۴۰.۹%) and agrIII (۴۰.۹%) were the prominent genotypes. All of the isolates (۱۰۰%) were resistant to Penicillin. The resistance rate to erythromycin and co-trimoxazole were ۱۲.۹% and ۵.۳۸% respectively. Most of the isolates were sensitive to other antibiotics. Conclusion: Based on the low resistance rate of S. aureus, it appears that the eradication of nasal carrier states could be possible. S. aureus agr types I and III have an important role in nasal colonization in comparison to other agr types.    

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, Nasal carrier, Agr type, Antibiotic resistance