Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Nasal carrier in Health Care Workers.

Methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important nosocomial pathogen that causes severe morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, nosocomial outbreaks of methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a major infection control problem. Colonized employees are generally asymptomatic; they are a potential reservoir and disseminator of MRSA in hospitals. Nasal screening of health care workers (HCW) for MRSA is performed routinely in several countries, typically when more than one MRSA – colonized patient is identified in high risk ward, such as intensive care unit (ICU). This study was performed at PSG Hospitals to assess the prevalence of MRSA nasal colonization in health care workers and their sensitivity pattern. The prevalence of MRSA carriage among HCW’s was quite low (3.3%) in our institution. It has been recommended that, in case of epidemic in the hospital, all health care workers should be examined for MRSA colonization.

Comparative growth pattern of multi drug resistance versus susceptible isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice lungs.

Background & objectives: Rise in prevalence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in tubercle bacilli is a serious cause of concern. As mutations with two house keeping genes rpoB and katG are associated with resistance to two important anti-tubercular drugs rifampicin and isoniazid respectively, there is a need to understand the growth kinetics of organisms with such mutated genes in experimental animals. This study was undertaken to study the growth kinetics of susceptible as well multi-drug resistance Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in mice. Methods: Two MDR (having mutations in rpoB and catG) and two drug susceptible isolates of M. tuberculosis along with H37Rv were grown in mice after aerogenic infection. Results: The MDR isolates grew slowly up to 3 wk though the growth was significantly different from sensitive strains. However, after 3 wk, the growth in sensitive as well MDR strains was similar, suggesting that even the mutations in the MDR strains did not have any impact on the growth kinetics. Interpretation & conclusions: The effect of mutations in other parts of these genes need to be studied. Retention of property of MDR strains to establish infection after aerogenic infection has epidemiological significance in terms of the transmission of MDR tuberculosis.