Antibiotic resistance pattern of Staphylococcus aureus with reference to MRSA isolates from pediatric patients

Abstract

Aim: The extent of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in Nepalese children is largely unknown. Materials & methods: Six hundred and seventy-two clinical samples collected from 232 patients between June and November 2016 were processed in a microbiology laboratory. Results: Out of 300 culture-positive samples, 52 (17.3%) were S. aureus isolates. Among those 52, 39 (75.0%) were found to be MRSA. The infection rate of S. aureus was shown to be higher in inpatients (55.7%) compared with outpatients (44.3%) at p = 0.637, 95% CI. Thirteen types of antibiotics were used in the antibiotic susceptibility test. MRSA isolates showed 100 and 0% resistance to penicillin and vancomycin, respectively. The D-test showed inducible clindamycin-resistant phenotype in 15.4% of MRSA isolates. Conclusion: This demonstrates the utmost need for routine testing for MRSA in Nepalese hospitals. Lay abstract The problem of antibiotic resistance is rising worldwide. Methicillin antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (i.e., MRSA) infection is one of the bacterial infections that contribute to increased health and economic burdens. An accurate understanding of the MRSA infection status in Nepalese children is not available to date. Thus, the current research was performed in a pediatric hospital. We also discovered that MRSA is not tested routinely and thus we recommend it should be monitored regularly, as with other bacterial infections.