Antibiotic resistance pattern of methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> isolated from children under the age of five Years in Anambra State

Abstract

Neonates are exposed to Staphylococcus aureus shortly after birth and can become colonized quickly after contact with adult skin or the environment. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) constitutes part of the growing global health problem associated with an increasing number of infections and often multidrug resistant in nature which now poses serious therapeutic problems to clinicians. Eighty-three (83) samples were collected which were cultured on appropriate bacteriological media. Bacterial isolates (S. aureus) were identified by standard biochemical tests and confirmed using PCR targeting the 16S rRNA. The MRSA was determined using Oxacillin antibiotic disk and confirmed by the presence of MecA gene. Antibiotic susceptibility of the MRSA isolates to eleven antibiotics was performed according to Clinical Laboratory Standard testing Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Out of the 83 individuals tested, 25 yielded S. aureus of which 22 (88.0%) of them were MRSA positive, 10 (45.5%) females and 12 (54.5%) males. The antibiotic resistant pattern of the 22 MRSA isolates showed Quinupristin/Dalfopristin 13 (59.1%), Fusidic acid 6 (27.3%), Linezolid 8 (36.4%), Clindamycin 10 (45.5%), Vancomycin 5(22.7%), Cefepime 3(13.6%), Doxycycline 4(18.2%), Sulphamethoxazole 22(100%), Fosfomycin 7(31.8%), Cephalexin 7(31.8%), Trimethoprim 19(86.4%). The MIC determination for vancomycin from MRSA isolates showed antibiotic concentration of 4.9 μg/ml and 8.7 μg/ml. This work showed that there is high prevalence rate of resistance to many classes of antibiotic warranting continued surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship. Therefore effective antibiotic susceptibility test should be conducted before prescribing an antibiotic to patients, in as much as patients should strictly adhere to antibiotic prescription to mitigate abuse of drugs.

Keywords: Methicillin-resistance, antibiotics, prevalence, S. aureus, susceptibility