World Journal of Medical Sciences 9 (4): 239-242, 2013 ISSN 1817-3055 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjms.2013.9.4.8178 Corresponding Author: Javad Alizargar, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. Tel: +98 913 5339790, Fax: +98 361 5579028. 239 Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of MRSA Strains Isolated from Anterior Nares of Hemodialysis Patients Mohammad Reza Sharif, Javad Alizargar and Alireza Sharif 1 2 3 Department of Pediatrics, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran 1 Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran 2 Department of Infectious Disease, 3 Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran Abstract: Patients with End Stage Renal Disease on maintenance hemodialysis are at a greater risk for bacterial infection particularly Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a challenge in clinical practice nowadays, because they resist a great range of antibiotics. This study mainly designed in order to determine the prevalence MRSA in anterior nares samples of hemodyalisis patients. The results of this study show that 153 (59.8%) out of 256 patients who had admitted for hemodialysis were colonized with S. aureus and more than half of these colonizations (51.6%) were with MRSA. Emerging of MRSA isolates that are resistant to vancomycin, as we found one in our study, can be an alarm for clinical practice. Key words: Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Vancomycin Resistance INTRODUCTION MRSA colonization may lead to infection and there Patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) on MRSA develop skin or soft tissue infection in 8-10 weeks maintenance hemodialysis are at a greater risk for bacterial [13]. Infections caused by MRSA strains are associated infection, particularly Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with longer hospital stay, prolonged antibiotic infection [1]. Infection remains a major cause of morbidity administration and higher cost than infections caused by and mortality among patients with ESRD [2]. Rate of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus strains [8]. resistance to different antibiotics are increasing every day This study mainly designed in order to determine the moreover, unwise use of even last lines of treatment prevalence of S. aureus colonization and MRSA rate in antibiotics such as vancomycin worsen the situation [3]. anterior nares samples of hemodialysis patients admitted Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) challenge the in Alzahra Hospital from Jan 2012 to June 2013. It also clinical practice nowadays, because they resist a great assesses the resistance rate of MRSA to different range of antibiotics [4-12]. Vancomycin is the last line of antibiotics. treatment antibiotic in ESRD patients but MRSA isolates have shown resistance to this antibiotics and reports of MATERIALS AND METHODS this resistant have been published by the authors [8, 9, 12]. This prospective study was conducted at Alzahra Patients with ESRD are at increased risk for hospital. Eligible patients were 18 years or older and infection and colonization with methicillin-resistant receiving hemodialysis continuously for at least 8 weeks S. aureus (MRSA) because they are repeatedly before enrollment using a native-vessel fistula. Patients exposed to the healthcare environment and often were excluded if they had S. aureus infection within 3 receive prolonged courses of antibiotics, besides being months of study entry, severe viral or bacterial infection, immunocompromised [2]. HIV infection, current use of immunosuppressive or are some reports that 38% of individuals with colonized