Abstract

ABSTRACT Coagulase-negative staphylococci are frequently associated with nosocomial infections. Methicillin-resistant strains are particularly important because they narrow therapeutic options. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of an agar screening test, Vitek 2 AST-P580 card and PCR to characterize oxacillin resistance among CoNS. Three hundred specimens were investigated, one hundred isolates were identified as CoNS 53% of isolates were S. haemolyticus, 26% S. epidermidis and 21% S. hominis. The results showed that 91% of isolates were phenotypically oxacillin resistance on oxacillin resistance screening agar and AST-P580 card, but all isolates of CoNS carried mecA gene that showed in PCR technique. However oxacillin resistance CoNS were resistance to most of antibiotics used in this study. Keywords: coagulase-negative staphylococci, catheter-related infections, oxacillin resistant. mecA gene.