Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in Kano, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Background: Nosocomial infection caused by methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) presents with management difficulties in infected patients due to their resistance to a number of other frontline antibiotics and constitutes significant epidemiological problems. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of methicillin resistant S. aureus and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in clinical isolates in Kano. There is dearth of information on this subject in Kano. Method: One hundred and eighty five (185) S. aureus isolates from various clinical specimens obtained over a 12-month period in the Microbiology Department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) were subjected to methicillin susceptibility testing; while including susceptibility testing to other antibiotics by the disc diffusion methods. Result: Out of 185 S. aureus isolates tested; 53(28.6) were found to be methicillin resistant. While 38(62) isolates were obtained from in-patients; 15(28) were from out-patients. Surgical wound infection had the highest prevalence of 32(60) isolates. Antibiotics sensitivity results of methicillin susceptible staphylococcus aureus MSSA) and MRSA with the third generation cephalosporins and the quinilones were encouraging. All MRSA isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion: A prevalence of 28.6MRSA in this environment calls for urgent intervention strategies due to its possible rapid spread and therapeutic problem: