fa باکتری شناسی پزشکی Medical Bacteriology مقاله کوتاه پژوهشی Brief Original Article <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><b><span style="background:#1f497d"><span style="color:white"><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">Background and Aim:</span></span></span></b><span lang="EN-ID">&nbsp;Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) are common complications for individuals suffering from diabetes. The aim of this study was to monitor the presence of the <em>mecA</em> gene in diabetic foot infections in diabetic patients in Ardabil city, northwest Iran.</span><br> <b><span style="background:#1f497d"><span style="color:white"><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">Materials and Methods:</span></span></span></b> <span lang="EN-ID">A total of eighty samples were collected from Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil, Iran, between March and February 2023. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional microbiological tests, and their antibiotic susceptibility was tested. The presence of the mecA gene was determined by PCR assay.&nbsp;</span><span style="color:black"> </span><br> <b><span style="background:#1f497d"><span style="color:white"><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">Results & Conclusion:</span></span></span></b> <span lang="EN-ID">A total of 119 bacterial strains were isolated from 80 diabetic foot ulcer samples. The most common aerobic Gram-positive bacteria were <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (n=34) and coagulase-negative <em>Staphylococcus</em> spp. (n=21). Enterobacteriaceae included <em>Escherichia coli</em> (n=18), <em>Citrobacter </em>spp. (n=5), and <em>Enterobacter</em> spp. (n=5). <em>Enterococcus</em> spp. were found in 18 isolates. Gram-negative aerobic bacteria included <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa </em>(n=8) and <em>Acinetobacter</em> spp. (n=5). The main anaerobic isolate was <em>Bacteroides fragilis</em> (n=5). Thirteen MRSA strains were detected, 12 of which carried the <em>mecA </em>gene; one strain was MRSA by cefoxitin testing but lacked <em>mecA</em>, suggesting alternative resistance mechanisms. All Gram-positive isolates were susceptible to linezolid, and all Enterobacteriaceae were sensitive to imipenem. <em>S. aureus</em> and <em>B. fragilis </em>were the predominant aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, respectively. These findings support the early use of combined antimicrobial therapy for diabetic foot infections.</span></span></span></p> Diabetes, Infection, MRSA, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Staphylococcus aureus 283 290 http://ijmm.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2647-2&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Maryam Mohseni maryam.13571391@gmail.com 100319475328460033309 100319475328460033309 No Department of Biology, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran Mohammad Taghi Ahady mot_ahadi@iauardabil.ac.ir 100319475328460033310 100319475328460033310 Yes Department of Biology, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran Masoud Fardin dr_Fardin@yahoo.com 100319475328460033311 100319475328460033311 No Department of Biology, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran