ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026
A four-year surveillance of β-lactam antibiotic resistance and MRSA in a tertiary hospital in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major global pathogen and a critical public health concern. Understanding its epidemiology is essential for guiding effective treatment and infection control measures. This study aimed to describe temporal and specimen-specific resistance trends of S. aureus in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, over a four-year period.
methodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 348 S. aureus isolates collected between 2021 and 2024 from a tertiary care hospital in Al-Kharj. Resistance patterns were assessed across blood, wound/infection, abscess, and respiratory samples, with a focus on four β-lactam antibiotics: penicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin, and oxacillin. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate temporal trends.
resultsResistance to penicillin and ampicillin remained high throughout the study period, with penicillin resistance increasing significantly (p = 0.013) and ampicillin resistance rising gradually (p = 0.102). Cefoxitin and oxacillin resistance also increased, but these changes did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.243 and p = 0.065, respectively). Specimen-specific resistance was highest in respiratory samples (penicillin 100.0%, ampicillin 100.0%, cefoxitin 53.3%, oxacillin 45.2%) and abscess samples (penicillin 98.4%, ampicillin 98.5%, cefoxitin 67.3%, oxacillin 61.3%), while blood isolates showed lower resistance (penicillin 92.3%, ampicillin 96.0%, cefoxitin 47.7%, oxacillin 40.0%). MRSA analysis included 226 isolates with methicillin-susceptibility data. Of these, 114 isolates (50.4%) were MRSA, and 112 isolates (49.6%) were MSSA. MRSA proportions increased from 33.3% in 2021 to 53.6% in 2024; however, this trend did not reach statistical significance (Chi-square test for trend: χ² = 1.36, p = 0.243).
conclusionsTo our knowledge, this is among the first four-year surveillance studies on S. aureus resistance in Al-Kharj. The findings highlight rising resistance, specimen-specific variability, and a gradual rise in MRSA prevalence. These results emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance and targeted antimicrobial stewardship to support national AMR strategies in Saudi Arabia.
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