Background and Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus infections especially MRSA infections are an important cause of nosocomial infections worldwide and multidrug resistance is also very commonly seen in these infections. In a healthcare setup, these infections can be acquired through the hands, clothes, and equipments of health care workers. Hence, this study was conducted to see the percentage of MRSA carriage among healthcare workers and to study their antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Materials and Methods: Nasal swabs collected from various categories of Healthcare workers were subjected to processing in the Bacteriology section of Microbiology lab, GMC Jammu. Staphylococcus aureus identification was done according to the standard procedures of the lab. Cefoxitin disc was used for the identification of MRSA strains. Results: A total of 240 volunteers participated in the study. Among the samples screened 38 (16%) were MRSA, 28 (12%) were MSSA. In 172 (72%) no colonization was seen. Highest prevalence of MRSA was seen among Nurses 18 (27%), followed by Laboratory Technicians 10 (15%), Doctors 6 (9%) and Paramedics 4 (6%). Vancomycin and Linezolid were the most sensitive drugs showing 100 % sensitivity. Penicillin was 100 % resistant. Conclusion: A study of MRSA carriage among healthcare workers can help in framing proper and timely antibiotic policies in our hospital which would further stop the emergence of multidrug resistant organism and also guide us in decreasing the prevalence of nosocomial infections. Keywords: MRSA, Healthcare workers.

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This study aimed to detect Ceftazidime resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from pus samples

Introduction: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) accounts for millions of deaths each year in children, mostly in developing countries. Wide range of pathogens including parasites, bacteria and viruses are responsible for AGE. The aim of this study was to isolate the bacterial and intestinal parasites associated with AGE in children below 5 years of age. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Department of Microbiology & Paediatrics Santosh Medical College and Hospital. 625 children with AGE were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were examined for the presence of parasites and cultured for microbial flora. Drug susceptibility testing for aerobic isolates was performed using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Results: Among the bacterial isolates maximum isolates were Escherichia coli 291 (46.56 %), of which 32 (5.12 %) samples were identified as Enterohaemorrhagic E.coli (EHEC), 48 (7.68 %) isolates were identified as Shigella spp. while parasites included Entamoeba histolytica 21 (3.36 %), followed by Giardia lamblia 14 (2.24 %), 81.78 E.coli isolates were sensitive to Ampicillin. All the Salmonella spp. isolates were sensitive to Co-trimoxazole. Conclusion:Most frequently bacterial and parasitic isolates were E.coli Salmonella spp. and Entamoeba histolytica. This gives pre requisite for planning and evaluating interventional programmes associated with diarrhoeal illness and their antimicrobial sensitivity pattern for effective treatment and to decrease disease burden.