Prevalence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Molecular Characteristics of MRSA in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant pathogen in both healthcare-associated (HA-MRSA) and community-associated (CA-MRSA) infections, posing major challenges due to its evolving antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and genetic diversity. This study investigates the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and molecular characteristics of HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA isolates in Saudi Arabia. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 178 MRSA isolates obtained from clinical samples. MRSA identification was performed using cefoxitin disk diffusion, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing for vancomycin, linezolid, and ciprofloxacin was conducted using the BD Phoenix M50 system. Molecular characterization included SCCmec typing, spa typing, and PCR-based detection of virulence genes (pvl, tst, eta, etb, lukS, lukF). Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Among 1496 S. aureus isolates, 178 (11.9%) were confirmed as MRSA, with HA-MRSA (61.8%) being more prevalent than CA-MRSA (38.2%). Notably, 7.8% of HA-MRSA isolates exhibited heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA). Ciprofloxacin resistance was significantly higher in HA-MRSA (85.0%) compared to CA-MRSA (38.9%). SCCmec type V was the predominant genotype (87.1%), suggesting increased infiltration of CA-MRSA strains into hospital settings. Spa typing revealed high genetic diversity, with t037 being the most common (27%). Virulence genes were detected in 6% of isolates, indicating limited dissemination of these factors. The findings highlight the increasing prevalence of MRSA, the emergence of hVISA, and shifts in clonal distribution, underscoring the need for ongoing molecular surveillance and stringent antimicrobial stewardship programs to control MRSA spread in both healthcare and community environments.