Isolation of Methicillin-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci from Hemodialysis Patients in Al-Najaf Province

Abstract

Information about methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) is unavailable in our
province, in comparison with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Two hundred and forty isolates of
Staphylococci were recovered from hemodialysis patients, from July-2019 to January-2020. Antimicrobial
susceptibility was performed for methicillin-resistant CoNS, by using the Kirby and Bauer technique.
mecA gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results revealed that the infections were
predominant in males (66.7%) especially in the age group more than 60 years old. Patients from urban areas
occupied the highest percent in comparison with the rural areas.
Staphylococcus epidermidis was predominant among other isolated genera (63.33%), of these forty strains
(26.32%) were mecA positive, while Staphylococcus saprophyticus takes only (16.67%) and six isolates were
appeared to be mecA positive. Resistant patterns illustrated that most mecA positive strains were resistant to
more than one antibiotic of none-beta lactam antibiotics especially rifampin (60.87%).
In conclusion, the increase of the antibiotic-resistant by coagulase-negative staphylococci, and in particular
mec A gene containing CoNS, is a risk factor for residents of the holy city of Najaf.