An-Najah Staff

Background: Community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a major global problem. This study attempted to investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among 360 healthy university students at An-Najah National University, Palestine. For the purpose of comparing the staphylococcal cassette chromosome methicillin resistant determinant (SCCmec) type of MRSA, 46 clinical MRSA isolates were also included in this study.
Methods: Susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion method. The genetic association of MRSA isolates was investigated by SCCmec typing. A selected number of isolates were also used to amplify and sequence mecA.
Results: Nasal carriage of S aureus was found in 86 of 360 students (24%). MRSA accounted for 9% of S aureus isolates. All 86 strains of S aureus were sensitive to vancomycin. Resistance to penicillin G, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin was found in 98%, 93%, 33%, 23%, and 12% of the isolates, respectively. Resistance rates of the MRSA isolates were as follows: 100% resistant to penicillin G and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 96% to ethromycin, 52% to clindamycin, and 48% to ciprofloxacin. No vancomycin-resistant isolates were identified. In our study, nearly half (52%) of the MRSA isolates belonged to SCCmec types IVa and V. However, SCCmec types II and III are represented by 48%, whereas SCCmec type I was completely absent.ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate the existence of SCCmec type IVa in both student nasal carriers and health care settings. This emphasizes the need for implementation of a revised set of control measures in both settings. Moreover, the rational prescription of appropriate antibiotics should also be considered.

Background Community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a major global problem. This study attempted to investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among 360 healthy university students at An-Najah National University, Palestine. For the purpose of comparing the staphylococcal cassette chromosome methicillin resistant determinant (SCCmec) type of MRSA, 46 clinical MRSA isolates were also included in this study.
Methods Susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion method. The genetic association of MRSA isolates was investigated by SCCmec typing. A selected number of isolates were also used to amplify and sequence mecA. Results Nasal carriage of S aureus was found in 86 of 360 students (24%). MRSA accounted for 9% of S aureus isolates. All 86 strains of S aureus were sensitive to vancomycin. Resistance to penicillin G, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin was found in 98%, 93%, 33%, 23%, and 12% of the isolates, respectively. Resistance rates of the MRSA isolates were as follows: 100% resistant to penicillin G and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 96% to ethromycin, 52% to clindamycin, and 48% to ciprofloxacin. No vancomycin-resistant isolates were identified. In our study, nearly half (52%) of the MRSA isolates belonged to SCCmec types IVa and V. However, SCCmec types II and III are represented by 48%, whereas SCCmec type I was completely absent.
Conclusion The findings of this study indicate the existence of SCCmec type IVa in both student nasal carriers and health care settings. This emphasizes the need for implementation of a revised set of control measures in both settings. Moreover, the rational prescription of appropriate antibiotics should also be considered. 

The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among 360 healthy university students at An-Najah National University, Palestine. For the purpose of comparing the staphylococcal cassette Q4 chromosome methicillin resistant determinant (SCCmec) type of MRSA, 46 clinical MRSA isolates were also included in this study. Nasal carriage of S aureus was found in 86 of 360 students (24%.) MRSA accounted for 9% of S aureus isolates. All 86 strains of S aureus were sensitive to vancomycin. Resistance to penicillin G, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin was found in 98%, 93%, 33%, 23%, and 12% of the isolates, respectively. Resistance rates of the MRSA isolates were as follows: 100% resistant to penicillin G and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 96% to ethromycin, 52% to clindamycin, and 48% to ciprofloxacin. No vancomycin-resistant isolates were identified. In our study, nearly half (52%) of the MRSA isolates belonged to SCCmec types IVa and V. However, SCCmec types II and III are represented by 48%, whereas SCCmec type I was completely absent. These findings indicate the existence of SCCmec type IVa in both student nasal carriers and health care settings. This emphasizes the need for implementation of a revised set of control measures in both settings. Moreover, the rational prescription of appropriate antibiotics should also be considered.

Background: Community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a major global problem. This study attempted to investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among 360 healthy university students at An-Najah National University, Palestine. For the purpose of comparing the staphylococcal cassette chromosome methicillin resistant determinant (SCCmec) type of MRSA, 46 clinical MRSA isolates were also included in this study.
Methods: Susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion method. The genetic association of MRSA isolates was investigated by SCCmec typing. A selected number of isolates were also used to amplify and sequence mecA. Results  Nasal carriage of S aureus was found in 86 of 360 students (24%). MRSA accounted for 9% of S aureus isolates. All 86 strains of S aureus were sensitive to vancomycin. Resistance to penicillin G, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin was found in 98%, 93%, 33%, 23%, and 12% of the isolates, respectively. Resistance rates of the MRSA isolates were as follows: 100% resistant to penicillin G and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 96% to ethromycin, 52% to clindamycin, and 48% to ciprofloxacin. No vancomycin-resistant isolates were identified. In our study, nearly half (52%) of the MRSA isolates belonged to SCCmec types IVa and V. However, SCCmec types II and III are represented by 48%, whereas SCCmec type I was completely absent.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the existence of SCCmec type IVa in both student nasal carriers and health care settings. This emphasizes the need for implementation of a revised set of control measures in both settings. Moreover, the rational prescription of appropriate antibiotics should also be considered.

In Palestine, as in other countries, brucellosis is an endemic disease, even in highly vaccinated zones. Many reports suggest that a decline in vaccine productivity may be due to antigenic shifts in the circulating Brucella melitensis. To address this aspect, the hemagglutinin gene from B. melitensis field isolates was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequenced, digested with the EcoRV and HaeIII, and compared to the Rev.1 strain of the B. melitensis vaccine. From January to December 2008, 80 milk samples were collected from infected flocks, from different West Bank regions of Palestine. From these, 77.5% (62/80) were shown to be positive for specific B. melitensis PCR. However, from the PCR-positive milk samples, only 38 strains could be isolated by culture on Brucella agar plates. The nucleotide alignment and phylogenetic tree for the hemagglutinin gene showed a mismatch between the vaccine strain and field isolates. This is also suggested by the observation of EcoRV and HaeIII digestion profiles for the vaccine strain and field isolates. Although a limited number of isolates and genes encoding immunologically relevant proteins were analyzed, we observed antigenic divergence between the current B. melitensis field isolates and the vaccine strain, in particular with respect to the hemagglutinin gene. Therefore, more research will be necessary to rule out the possibility of reduced efficacy of Brucella whole-cell vaccines.