ABSTRACT
A total of 34 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] obtained from Rafidya Hospital, Nablus, Palestine was analyzed by quantitative antibiogram and arbitrarily primed PCR. Quantitative antibiogram typing classified the isolates into 13 groups. The use of AP-PCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed the definition of 21 different clusters. However, three major clusters, based on the combination of both typing methods, represented 44% of the isolates. Resistance rates of MRSA isolates were ciprofloxacin [27%], clindamycin [47%], erythromycin [88%], gentamicin [71%] and co-trimoxazole [3%]. No resistance to vancomycin was observed. Eight of the cluster isolates were noted to be multiple resistant, i.e. resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and gentamicin or clindamycin