Molecular epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from newborns in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an organism that is f requently transmitted in hospitals and perinatal units. The MRSA is conside red a public health problem in neonatology because of its strong potential for dissemination in the wards associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. In this study we describe the bacteriological, epidemiological a nd molecular characteristics of MRSA isolated from anterior nares and blood cultures of newborns hospitalized in a public maternity hospital in the ci ty of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The frequency of MRSA isolated from nasal swa bs of newborns was 47.8% (43/90). The genetic analysis of MRSA strains from anterior nai es, showed 8 different pulsed field gel electrophoresis patte rns (PFGE). Upon analysis of PFGE patterns of the IZ MRSA strains isolated from blood cultures, 8 different patterns were observed, 9 (75%) strains we re genetic related to nasal secretion isolates patterns. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the importance of screening of newborns for the presence of MRSA in Bi azilian hospitals and the usefulness of genetic typing of the se pathogen during epidemiologic studies. This should lead to a better know ledge on the significancy and spreading of MRSA in the hospitals.