Study of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates from high risk patients.

MRSA is an important hospital pathogen, the incidence of which is increasing every year especially in high risk groups. The present study was performed in high risk patients admitted in burns and orthopaedic units of LN hospital to study the infection rate of MRSA from these units. The proportion of MRSA amongst S. aureus isolates was found to be 51.6% and these isolates were multidrug resistant. Phage typing of these isolates gave a typeability of 41.8% using the MRSA set of phages. Biotyping of these isolates could divide them into four groups. The study shows a high incidence of MRSA from burns and orthopaedic units with a high level of antibiotic resistance amongst these isolates.