Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Microbiology 2008-3289 6 5 2014 10 15 341 344 EN Mohammad Reza Pourmand Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Sepideh Hassanzadeh Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Rahil Mashhadi Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Emran Askari Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 2015 10 16 Background and Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a well-known pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Given the increasing rate of MRSA infections, implementing of reliable, accurate and rapid testing for diagnosis of MRSA is necessary. The aim of this study was to compare four diagnostic methods for detection of MRSA isolates. Materials and Methods: From December 2012 to April 2014, 120 S. aureus isolates were collected from three hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. MRSA isolates were detected by four different methods including cefoxitin disc diffusion test, oxacillin disc diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oxacillin as determined by MIC test strip, and mecA detection by PCR. Results: Out of 120 S. aureus isolates, cefoxitin disc diffusion test, oxacillin disc diffusion test and MIC test strip identified 60 (50%), 48 (40%), 55 (45.83%) isolates as MRSA, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for oxacillin disc diffusion, cefoxitin disc diffusion and MIC of oxacillin were 80% and 100%, 100% and 100%, and 91.6% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: Cefoxitin disc diffusion test is reliable substitute for detection of MRSA in clinical laboratory where MIC detection and molecular methods are not accessible. https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/view/374 https://ijm.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijm/article/download/374/151