Antibiotic resistance pattern and molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in burns unit of a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Methods: Staphylococcus aureus strains were collected from the Burns Unit of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) Peshawar, Pakistan from July-December 2011. Antibiotic resistance was determined according to the recommendations of Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Molecular epidemiology of the S. aureus strains were determined by pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: PFGE identified 14 clusters which included 29 different pulso-types prevailing in the Burns Unit. Of the 29 types, 11 contained two or more strains of the same pulso-type. These MRSA isolates were highly resistant to various kinds of penicillin and cephalosporin (85-100 %). Among the important anti-staphylococal agents tested, 17 % of the isolates were resistant to fusidic acid and linezolid. All the 54 strains were susceptible to vancomycin. Conclusion: Several of the same pulso-types prevail in the Burns Unit of KTH. Furthermore, 29 pulsotypes among the 54 strains suggest the diversity of the MRSA strains collected from burns patients. Purpose: To develop strategies for the control of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) which is a serious threat to burns patients with the aid of molecular studies.