Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is resistant to most antibiotics and is an important pathogen of nosocomial infections. The prevalence of community (CA-MRSA) and hospital acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (HA-MRSA) infection is increased. In this study we investigated the frequency of MRSA colonization and its antibiotic susceptibility in students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 200 nursing, midwifery and paramedical students. Nasal swabs were taken from all cases and were cultured on a blood medium agar. Methicillin resistance was confirmed using Oxacillin and cefoxcitin disks. Inducible clinadamycin resistance was identified using D-zone test. Demographic and specific information were collected by questionnaire. Data were analyzed by chi-square test.

Results: Among 200 studied cases, the frequency of nasal carriers for S. aureus was 5%. Six (60%) out of 10 S. aureus isolates were MRSA strains. Fifty percent of MRSA and 25% of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) were resistant to clindamycin. Four out of 6 strains of MRSA and 1 of the MSSA strains were resistant to erythromycin and D test was positive in 50% of cases.

Conclusions: Nasal carriers of the resistant strains of S. aureus are always a serious threat to themselves and others. The rate of MRSA colonization, especially clindamycin-resistant strains, was high among studied cases, emphesizing the need for screening S. aureus.