ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Research Article | Open Access
Fizza Khalid1 , Iftikhar Ahmed1, Christy Poulose1, Azza Elsheikh1, Adeel Akram2, Hameed Alhadi2 and Osamah T. Khojah3,4
1Microbiology Department, MD Lab, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2Molecular Genetics Department, MD Lab, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
3Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
4Laboratory Department, Chief Medical Officer Office, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Article Number: 10683 | © The Author(s). 2025
J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2025;19(4):2665-2673. https://doi.org/10.22207/JPAM.19.4.02
Received: 13 June 2025 | Accepted: 04 August 2025 | Published online: 26 September 2025
Issue online: December 2025
Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections of soft tissues and deep and superficial wounds affect morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resources in Saudi Arabia. The growing frequency of these infections underscore the need for effective antimicrobial stewardship projects and robust infection control. This study included patients from various age groups and was conducted in a tertiary care facility in Riyadh. Clinical specimens from different body parts were cultured, as part of the study protocol. Samples showing significant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) growth were identified phenotypically and tested for microbial susceptibility. Antibiotics were evaluated and analyzed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. MRSA isolates were screened using cefoxitin discs. Data was gathered and analyzed over one year, from January to December 2023. This study included 11,837 culture specimens, of which 3,795 yielded positive cultures. S. aureus was isolated in 333 cases, accounting for 2.8% of all specimens, and 8.8% of positive cultures. Most patients were male, comprising 121 study participants (36%). The highest MRSA prevalence was observed between 12 and 40 years. The prevalence of MRSA in the local healthcare environment was 3.3%. Hospitalized patients showed a slightly higher incidence of MRSA infection. MRSA prevalence was significantly associated with the specimen type (p < 0.05). Vancomycin and linezolid were 100% effective against all S. aureus strains, followed by tetracycline and gentamicin. The D-test was used to assess 307 S. aureus strains to assess inducible clindamycin resistance, 28 tested positive. The high MRSA infection load and new MRSA strains highlight the need for ongoing surveillance, stringent infection control, and targeted antibiotic stewardship programs. Our findings could be used to guide antibiotic treatment and combat antibiotic resistance in local hospitals.

Keywords

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, Resistance

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© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, sharing, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.