en ميکروبيولوژي Microbiology پژوهشي Research <p><strong>Background:</strong> Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the major agents for increasing number of serious hospital and community acquired infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of the MRSA and mecA gene among nosocomial and environmental specimens in Kurdistan hospitals and determining the antibiotic resistance of the isolates.<br> <strong>Materials and Methods: </strong>A total of 264 clinical and environmental Staphylococcus was isolated from Kurdistan medical University Hospitals, in February 2011 to June 2012 Iran, and their susceptibility patterns to different antibiotics were determined. Furthermore, agar screen method was used to determine oxacillin resistant isolates. Finally, using PCR, the oxacillin resistant isolates were tested for the presence of mecA gene.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> In this study, from 88 (93.18%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 82 were found resistant to oxacillin using agar screen method and mecA gene was detected in 66 strains (75%). Our results showed that the agar screen method is more reliable in determination of MRSA strains compared to PCR.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> In this research the studied MRSA were found with high prevalence and mecA was widespread in S. aureus isolates in Sanandaj.</p> Nosocomial infections, Methicillin resistance, MRSA, mecA 38 42 http://rmm.mazums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-694-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Rashid Ramazanzadeh atrop_t51@yahoo.com 10031947532846004093 10031947532846004093 No Cellular & Molecular Research Center and Microbiology Department, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Himen Salimizand hsalimizand@gmail.com 3732058050 10031947532846004094 No Cellular & Molecular Research Center and Microbiology Department, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Babak Shahbazi babakshahbazi77@gmail.com 10031947532846004095 10031947532846004095 No Microbiology Department, Member of Student Research committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Masoumeh khonshah mm.kh2011@yahoo.com 10031947532846004096 10031947532846004096 No Microbiology Department, Member of Student Research committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran Hanar Narenji hanar.narenji89@gmail.com 10031947532846004097 10031947532846004097 Yes Microbiology Department, Member of Student Research committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran