IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF METHICILLIN AND ERYTHROMYCIN RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus FROM CLINICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES IN MINNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is progressively increasing globally and has become a global health concern. Antibiotic susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus was determined using disc diffusion method. A total of 21.9 % (73/360) from clinical and environmental samples tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in environmental samples was 24 % while it was 20.5 % in clinical samples. The age group 18 to 49 years had the highest prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus (74 %) followed by 0 to 17 years (42 %) while 50 to 70 years had the least (4 %). The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in female was 22.4 % while in male, it was 20 %. The resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to Oxacillin, Cefoxitin, Ampicillin, Vancomycin, Erythromycin, Norfloxacin, Rifampicin, Amoxacillin and Gentamycin were 88.60 %, 45.60 %, 34.20 %, 21.50 %, 18.90 %, 11.40 %, 8.90 %, 6.30 %, 5.10 % respectively. Septrin and Levofloxacin were 100 % active on all the 79 Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Methicillin (mecA) and Erythromycin (ermA and ermC) genes were molecularly identified from the isolates. These findings showed relatively high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus from the samples and revealed poor personal hygienic practices amongst clinicians and patients.