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Prevalence of community-associated methicillin–resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) Isolates among women in Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Nigeria


Adebola Onanuga
Busayo O Olayinka
Avosuahi R Oyi
Josiah A Onaolapo

Abstract

Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is increasingly reported. This study investigated its prevalence in urine of healthy women and resistance pattern to other antibiotics.

Methods: Urine samples collected from healthy women volunteers in Federal Capital Territory were cultured and screened for Staphylococcus aureus using standard microbiological procedures. The isolates were then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using disc diffusion technique.

Results: A total of 60 (40%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates were isolated from 150 urine samples collected. The prevalence rate from married and single women were 41% and 38% respectively. Of the Staphylococcus aureus isolated 43 (71.7%) were methicillin resistant. The difference in the proportion of isolates that were MRSA observed in the two women groups is not statistically significantly (P>0.05). The MRSA isolates had 100%, 90.7% and 83.7% resistance to ampicillin, clindamycin and vancomycin respectively. They also showed 93-95% susceptibility to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin and sparfloxacin.

Conclusion: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is highly prevalent in the urine of healthy women investigated in Federal Capital Territory. Their resistance to vancomycin, a glycopeptide that is rarely used in this environment calls for further investigations into the clinical significance of the observed resistance on the chemotherapy and outcomes of Staphylococcal infections.

Keywords:prevalence, MRSA, Staphyl-ococcus Aureus, community-associated, healthy women

Journal of College of Medicine Vol. 11(1) 2006: 47-52

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eISSN: 1118-2601