PREVALENCE AND PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATIONOF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ISOLATED FROM RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of respiratory tract infections and poses a significant challenge to clinical management due to its resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and phenotypic characteristics of MRSA isolated from respiratory clinical samples. A total of 200 respiratory specimens, including throat swabs, sputum samples, tracheal aspirates, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples, were collected from patients clinically suspected of respiratory tract infections.All samples were processed using standard microbiological techniques. Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus was performed on Mannitol Salt Agar and Blood Agar, followed by phenotypic identification using Gram staining, catalase test, and coagulase test. Phenotypic detection of methicillin resistance was carried out using the cefoxitin disc diffusion method.Throat swabs constituted the majority of samples, followed by sputum, tracheal aspirates, and BAL samples.