Abstract

Objective: To conduct for the molecular detection of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (Golden staph) carriers among patients referred to the Imam Ali Clinic, Shahrekord, Iran. Methods: This sectional-descriptive study was conducted with 200 persons with suspected upper respiratory tract infections, who were referred to the Imam Ali Clinic in Shahrekord, Iran, in 2012. After culturing the nasal swab samples in mannitol salt agar and blood agar, S. aureus colonies were confirmed by biochemical methods. To determine the susceptibility of S. aureus strains isolated, molecular methods were used. Results: Among the 200 investigated samples, 60 cases (30%), comprising 25 men (41.66%) and 35 women (58.33%), were found to be S. aureus carriers. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that the frequency of the S. aureus strain isolated from the nasal swabs of patients with respiratory tract infections admitted to the Imam Ali Clinic in Shahrekord, Iran, was remarkable. Thus, knowing detection of S. aureus carriers, who are at a risk of spreading nosocomial infection among the staff, is vital to control and prevent nosocomial infections.

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