title: The Frequency ofStaphylococcus aureusIsolated from Endocervix of Infertile Women in Northwest Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infertility is one of the major social issues. Due to the asymptomatic cervical infection associated withStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), the majority of patients remain undiagnosed. The present study intended to assess the frequency ofS. aureusisolated from infertile women's endocervix in northwest Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a descriptive cross sectional study, specimens were randomly collected during vagina examination using a sterile speculum and swabbing. After performance of antibiotic susceptibility testing, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify methicillin-resistanceS. aureus(MRSA) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 26 (26%) and 9 (9%) women's urogenital tracts were colonized byS. aureusand Candida spp., respectively, of which three (11.5%) patients were infected with fungi andS. aureus, simultaneously. Antibiotic susceptibility results showed high activity of vancomycin and co-trimoxazole on isolates. Regarding PCR results, mecA sequences were detected in 7 (26.9%) strains, whilst the tst gene encoding TSST-1 was not detected in any of clinical strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence ofS. aureuswas very high in infertile women. Therefore, it demands all patients undergoing infertility treatment to be investigated thoroughly for this type of infection.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Akhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esmailkhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Javid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Niknafs
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Laya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farzadi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Elmira Najafi
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Nasab
keywords: Endocervix; Infertility; S.taphylococcus aureus; mecA