Evaluation of antibacterial profile of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from hospitals in Imo state, Nigeria

Abstract

Awareness of the threat of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is growing. Oxacillin and methicillin are penicillinase-stable penicillins, and strains that are oxacillin and methicillinn resistant are historically termed MRSA. To determine the existence of MRSA strains patients attending treatments in hospitals in Imo state, 200 clinical specimens were examined using conventional method such as culture and sensitivity. The specimens include urogenital swabs, nasal swabs, wound swabs, pus and blood. Out of the 200 samples collected, 23.68% showed resistance to oxacillin, 25.00% of the isolates from Owerri Zone were MRSA, while 23.81% of isolates from Okigwe Zone yielded MRSA, and 20.00% from Orlu Zone yielded MRSA. The mean for zones is 25.33 ± 13.05. Children under the age of 10 have the highest incidence of (57.14%) of S. aureus isolates resistant to oxacillin, followed by the elderly people of age group 51 to 60 years (27.27%). The young adults between the ages of 21 to 30 have the least incidence (10.00%) and the mean for age groups is 43.66 ± 6.26. The mean for clinical specimens is 15.20 ± 22.16. Wound specimens produced the highest incidence (40.00%) among clinical specimens followed by pus (33.33%) and blood has the least occurrence (00.00%). Males produced the highest incidence between the sexes (26.67%) and women (21.74%), and the mean for sexes is 38.00 ± 11.31. This shows that MRSA exists in hospitals in Imo state and considering the danger, it portends to healthcare setting, and efforts are needed to contain its spread.