The epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at a Saudi university hospital.

To determine changes in the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a prospective study was conducted for a 30-month period in a university hospital in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Of 1,096 Staphylococcus aureus isolates identified, 92 (8.4%) were MRSA. Seventy-two (78%) of the 92 isolates were from nosocomial cases and 20 (22%) isolates were from community cases. Thirteen (14%) of 20 patients with community-acquired MRSA had no discernible risk factors. The community-acquired MRSA from patients without identified risk were susceptible to a greater number of antimicrobials compared with isolates obtained from patients with community-acquired MRSA with identified risk or with nosocomially acquired MRSA. No strain resistant to vancomycin was recorded in this study. The impact of these organisms could be substantial if they become more frequent or widespread.