Identification and antibiotic susceptibility profile of methicillin and erythromycin resistant genes in clinical and environmental strains of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in Minna Nigeria

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin (MRSA) is a growing global health threat. The disc diffusion method was used to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus. From clinical and environmental samples, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 21.9% (73/360) of the cases. Staphylococcus aureus predominance in environmental samples was 24%, compared to 20.5 in clinical samples. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was highest among people aged 18 to 49 (74%) and lowest among those aged 0 to 17 (42%) and 50 to 70 (4%). Staphylococcus aureus was more common in females (22.4%), compared to males (20%). Staphylococcus aureus showed 88.60%, 45.60%, 34.20%, 21.50%, 18.90%, 11.40%, 8.90%, 6.30%, and 5.10%, respectively, resistance to Oxacillin, Cefoxitin, Ampicillin, Vancomycin, Erythromycin, Norfloxacin, Rifampicin, and Gentamycin. All 79 of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were 100% responsive to septrin and levofloxacin. The isolates were used to molecularly identify the genes for methicillin (mecA) and erythromycin (ermA and ermC). The clinical and environmental samples revealed a comparatively high frequency of Staphylococcus aureus.