Molecular and phenotypical typification of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in a university hospital Objective: To typify by molecular and phenotypical methods, MRSA strains, isolated from patients and nurses to establish their possible clonal origin. Materials and Methods: 50 MRSA strains isolated in a teaching hospital in Maracaibo (Venezuela) were analyzed. The typification of MRSA strains was performed by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiotyping. Results: In patients, 12 clusters (I-XII) and 19 antibiotypes were found; whereas in the health-care personnel, 6 clusters (I-VI) and two antbiotypes were detected. There was no statistically significative association between antibiotypes and band patterns obtained by PFGE (p>0.05). Conclusions: By means of detection of resistance markers and PFGE, it is feasible to discriminate the nature of the clinical strains of MRSA. The obtained results show the possible nosocomial transmission of MRSA strains and their clonal spread in hospital departments, particularly at the ICU.

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