World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

PHENOTYPIC DETECTION OF METHICILLIN RESISTANCE IN PATHOGENIC STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS BY DISK METHOD

Orinya Chinedu, Iroha Ifeanyichukwu, Ejikeugwu Chika*, Iroha Chidinma, Nwakaeze Emmanuel, Ajah Moniaque, Ugwu Emmanuel

ABSTRACT

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is defined as a strain of S.aureus that is resistant to methicillin, a semi-synthetic antibiotic that was introduced into clinical medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections that defied the actions of penicillin. This study determined the frequency of MRSA isolates from clinical samples of 100 individuals (inclusive of in-patients and out-patients) who sought medical care in a tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Clinical samples were aseptically collected from the anterior nares of the participants using sterile swab sticks, and these samples were bacteriologically analyzed using standard microbiology techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique using standard antibiotic disks, and MRSA isolates was identified using disk diffusion technique. Out of the 100 clinical samples, a total of 33 (75%) MRSA isolates was recovered from female patients while 41 (73.2%) MRSA isolates was recovered from male participants. The carriage rate of MRSA among the in-patients and out-patients was 69.2 % and 75.2 % respectively. MRSA isolates was recovered from all the age-groups of the participants. However, more MRSA isolates was recovered from participants at the age of 6-10 yrs (86.7 %) and 11-16 yrs (80 %). The isolated pathogenic S. aureus from both the in-patients and out-patients were highly resistant to more than 50 % of the tested antibiotics especially to ampicillin, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, bacitracin, oxacillin, ertapenem, amikacin and vancomycin. Conclusively, this study reports the occurrence of MRSA strains amongst in-patients and out-patients of adolescence age group, and it was revealed that MRSA is harboured by both patients within the hospital environments and those coming from the community. The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens including MRSA strains should be kept under check through accurate and prompt monitoring, evaluation, and detection of resistant pathogens from suspect specimens in both the community and hospital environment.

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