Objective The study aimed to address the growing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its biofilm-forming capabilities in clinical settings. Specifically, the objectives were to isolate and identify MRSA from various clinical samples, assess the biofilm formation of MRSA, and detect the presence of the mecA gene using PCR. Additionally, the study sought to compare biofilm formation between MRSA and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains. Methods A total of 120 clinical specimens were analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested using the Kirby–Bauer disc-diffusion method, adhering to CLSI guidelines. Biofilm formation was evaluated using tube, plate, and tissue culture plate methods. MRSA was identified with cefoxitin (30 µg) discs and confirmed by PCR for the mecA gene. Findings Out of the 120 S. aureus isolates, 37.3% (45 isolates) were identified as MRSA. MRSA strains exhibited full resistance to penicillin and cefoxitin. All S. aureus isolates produced biofilms, with 48% showing weak biofilm production, 40% moderate, and 8.8% strong biofilm formation. Strong biofilm-forming MRSA strains were resistant to most antibiotics except vancomycin and clindamycin. The mecA gene was present in 75.5% of MRSA isolates, while MSSA strains did not carry this gene. No significant difference was observed between TM/CRA and TCP techniques for biofilm identification (p = 1.0). However, there was a significant correlation between mecA gene presence and biofilm formation with both TM/CRA (p = 0.0013) and TCP (p = 0.0089) techniques. Novelty This study highlights the strong correlation between mecA gene presence and biofilm formation in MRSA strains, emphasizing the association between antibiotic resistance and biofilm development. The findings underline the urgent need for enhanced biosafety measures to control MRSA spread in hospital settings.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), mecA gene, biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, PCR, clinical samples, biosafety measures.