Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) among Patients seen at a Tertiary Hospital in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the major causative bacterial pathogen responsible for hospital and community associated infections. Active surveillance remains the key component of MRSA infection control in the hospital setting. This study examined the MRSA colonization level among patients seen at the tertiary hospital. The study was conducted at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. A standardized questionnaire and interview was employed in enrolling 231 patients into the study and 3 anatomical body sites (nasal, axilla and groin) per patient were swabbed and analysed by standard bacteriological techniques. A total of 981 specimens were analysed, 21(2.1%) S.aureus isolates were identified, 10(%) MRSA and 11(%) MSSA isolates detected. The mean age was 34.02+13.2 years, gender distribution of 12(57.1%) male and 9(42.9%) female. Majority of S.aureus isolates were recovered from nasal compared to non-nasal origin (<0.001), while no statistical significant difference was observed between the MRSA colonization and demographic variable documented. The S.aureus isolates demonstrated high resistant pattern to fusidic acid, all MRSA isolates exhibited multidrug resistant pattern and inducible phenotype. This is the first report on MRSA colonization level among patients management in a hospital setting in this geographical zone, and the S.aureus strains demonstrated high resistant to fusidic acid and exhibited high inducible phenotype which is of public health concern particularly in infection control and patient management.