Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of community acquired methicillin resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> from healthy students of University of Jos

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a virulent pathogen that is currently, not only the most common cause of nosocomial infections worldwide, but increasingly also, a community associated pathogen. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and susceptibility of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated from apparently healthy university student population in Jos Nigeria. Two hundred and seventeen (217) urine samples were screened for Staphylococcus aureus. Isolates were characterized by conventional cultural and biochemical methods including rapid test kits (MicrogenID test kit). Their susceptibility profiles were determined against a panel of eleven  antibiotics using the method of the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). The MRSA status were confirmed phenotypically
using oxacillin and cefoxitin as markers. Of the 217 samples collected, 171 (78.8%) were positive for Staphylococcal species, while 135 of these were coagulase positive and were classed as S. aureus. Seventy-three (73) of these were identified as S. aureus with the MicrogenID test kit. Isolates were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics used in the study. Seventy-one (71) of 73 S. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant. The susceptibility pattern observed in community isolates implies that any outbreak of infections caused by these strains may pose a threat to public health.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; Prevalence; Antimicrobial resistance; MRSA, Susceptibility