Molecular typing and drug resistance of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital environment

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence, drug resistance and molecular characteristics of MRSA in hospital environment, so as to provide basis for prevention and control of nosocomial MRSA infection.

MethodsSpecimens from Dec 2014 to May 2015 were collected from a tertiary hospital in Jing′an District of Shanghai and MRSA strains isolated from hospital environment and characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

ResultsFrom 316 specimens were detected 46 MRSA strains with contamination rate being 14.6%(46/316).And 22 (7.0%) were detected to be carriers of MRSA on the surfaces of ICU environment.MRSA had higher resistant rate to cefuroxime, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin/sulbactam, erythrocin, gentamycin than MSSA, and the difference was statistically significant(P < 0.01).A total of 8 PFGE patterns were identified among the 14 MRSA isolates, which were mostly similar from one clone.

ConclusionMRSA strains isolated from ICU in this hospital are multi-resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, quinolones and macrolides.There is clonal pollution in the environment.It is necessary to decrease the contamination rates between patients and environment, health care workers and environment, also it is worthwhile to increase the disinfection rate of environment.