ABSTRACT
Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] is important as a nosocomial pathogen and MRSA colonization in the burn unit may lead to increased transmission of MRSA to non burn patients in other wards. Was to determine the prevalence of MRSA among patients with burn wound infection in the Burn Unit in Ain Shams University Hospitals. The study involved fifty patients with infected burn wounds divided into two groups as twenty five outpatients and twenty five inpatients in the Burn Unit of Ain Shams University Hospital. Swabs were taken aseptically from infected wounds for bacteriological examination. The most common bacterial isolate among outpatients group was S. aureus [44%], followed by Ps. aeurginosa [40%], coagulase negative Staphylococci [12%], Proteus mirabilis [4%] and Citrobacter freundii [8%]. While in the inpatients group, Ps. Aeruginosa topped the list infecting 36% of patients, followed by S. aureus [24%], coagulase negative Staphylococci [16%], Klebsiella pneurnoniae [12%], E.coli [12%], Proteus mirabilis [8%] and S. pyogenes [4%]. Concerning MRSA, it was isolated from 20% of the inpatients, accounting for 83% of all isolated S.aureus and emerged as a significant nosocomial pathogen as it was not recovered from any outpatient. MRSA is a significant nosocomial pathogen in the Burn unit of Ain Shams University Hospital. Continuous surveillance of burn wound infection and developing strategies for antimicrobial resistance control is recommended