Thirty-five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates were collected from 3 hospitals in the northern and southern parts of Palestine between February and May 1998. These isolates were typed by ribosome spacer PCR (RS-PCR) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR). RS-PCR generated 9 different genotypes. The use of AP-PCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed us to define 11 different clusters. Three major clusters, however, based on the combination of both typing methods, spread throughout the neonatal and intensive care units of Rafidya Hospital during the entire period.

Thirty-five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates were collected from 3 hospitals in the northern and southern parts of Palestine between February and May 1998. These isolates were typed by ribosome spacer PCR (RS-PCR) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR). RS-PCR generated 9 different genotypes. The use of AP-PCR provided a high resolution typing method and allowed us to define 11 different clusters. Three major clusters, however, based on the combination of both typing methods, spread throughout the neonatal and intensive care units of Rafidya Hospital during the entire period.