عنوان المقالة:Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among Medical Staff in Three Syrian Provinces: Damascus, Daraa and Al-Swayda
Yasser M Tabana, Saad S Dahham, Bassel Al-Hindi, Abdulghani Al-Akkad, Mohamed B Khadeer Ahamed
الملخص العربي
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) species represent a great challenge, in terms
of their rising prevalence worldwide. In their capacity as health care professionals, hospitals’ medical staff are
at a greater risk of acquiring MRSA; being in contact with patients receiving antibiotics constantly for a variety
of clinical conditions. Yet, perhaps due to limitations in research funds and a lack of incentives dedicated for
survey purposes, the prevalence of MRSA among health care professionals in the Syrian community has gone
undocumented so far. Hence, in this study, susceptibility testing was performed on S. aureus invasive isolates
collected from 202 volunteers of the medical staff of major hospitals in three provinces in Syria: Damascus
(the capitol), Daraa and Al-Swayda. The isolates were screened as recommended by the National Clinical and
Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). All tests were carried out within the Microbiology laboratory at the Arab
International University, Damascus, Syria. Appallingly, at the end of the survey, methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus was found in the nasal cavities of 9.4% of the medical staff in the main hospitals in
southern Syria. Vancomycin resistance was also detected in nearly 2% of the collected samples.
سعد صبار دحام | Saad Sabbar Dahham | 8314