Resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus isolates against frequently used antibiotics at private sector laboratories in Jordan

Background and Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important pathogens, responsible for a range of infections. This study aimed to assess resistance patterns in S. aureus isolates obtained from certain private-sector laboratories against commonly used antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: The process involved collecting various samples from several private laboratories and then identifying S. aureus isolates using biochemical characterization. The antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates was determined by disc diffusion method . Furthermore, Rt-PCR was employed to identify two genes namely the methicillin/oxacillin resistance genes (mecA), and (SCCmec). Results: The findings of the current study exhibited that females constituted a larger proportion of the participants (59.1%) compared to males (40.9%), with a mean participant age of 40.82 years. Gram-positive bacteria were more prevalent (71.3%) than Gram-negative bacteria (18.3%), with S. aureus being the most frequent isolate (60.9%). Urine samples represented the highest collected sample type (47.8%). Out of the 115 bacterial isolates, 85.2% exhibited multidrug resistance to antibiotics such as cefazolin, gentamicin, vancomycin, and ceftazidime. Clindamycin was the most effective antibiotic, with a sensitivity rate of 62.9%, followed by teicoplanin and meropenem, each with a sensitivity rate of 52.9%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were susceptabile to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The methicillin/oxacillin resistant isolates showed significant association with mecA and SCCA genes. Conclusion: This study highlighted the multi-drug resistance in S. aureus isolates, stressing the need for stringent antibiotic stewardship, continuous surveillance, and further research into alternative treatments, including novel antibiotics and combination therapy, to combat resistant strains.