Epidemiological and molecular aspects of rifampicin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from wounds, blood and respiratory samples.

Objectives: To study the incidence of rifampicin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Gipuzkoa, Northern Spain, and to characterize representative resistant isolates and mutations associated with resistance.

Methods: For rifampicin-resistant isolates, the rpoB gene fragment that includes the most frequent mutations conferring rifampicin resistance in S. aureus was amplified and sequenced.