Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of linezolid resistance and the effect of antibiotic combinations on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates.

Background: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes life-threatening infections, with narrow therapeutic options including: vancomycin and linezolid. Accordingly, this study aimed to characterize phenotypically and genotypically, the most relevant means of linezolid resistance among some MRSA clinical isolates.

Methods: A total of 159 methicillin-resistant clinical isolates were collected, of which 146 were indentified microscopically and biochemically as MRSA.