Article Sidebar
Published:
Sep 16, 2026Keywords:
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Submission of a manuscript to this journal is a representation that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
All authors named in each manuscript would be required to sign a form (to be supplied by the Editor) so that they may retain their copyright in the article but to assign to us (the Publishers) and its licensees in perpetuity, in all forms, formats and media (whether known or created in the future) to (i) publish, reproduce, distribute, display and store the contribution, (ii) translate the contribution into other languages, create adaptations, reprints, include within collections and create summaries, extracts and/or abstracts of the contribution, (iii) create any other derivative works(s) based on the contribution, (iv) to exploit all subsidiary rights in the contribution, (v) the inclusion of electronic links from the contribution to third party material where-ever it may be located, and (vi) license any thrid party to do any or all of the above.
Main Article Content
Incidence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical isolates in a tertiary health facility in Northern Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the presence of genes associated with vancomycin resistance among <i>S. aureus</i> isolates recovered from clinical specimens collected in a hospital setting and to assess the possibility of <i>S. aureus</i> harboring genes that encode resistance to vancomycin in that setting.
Methods: Clinical samples of <i>S. aureus</i> were obtained at the Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria. Determination of vancomycin resistance and the confirmatory test were done using the broth dilution method and Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar plates incorporated with 4 and 8 µg/mL vancomycin, respectively. Confirmation of the presence of the vancomycin resistance genes was carried out and serial culturing in an antibiotics free media was used to determine the phenotypic characteristics of the isolates.
Results: The study showed that 25 % (36/144) of the <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were resistant to 30 µg vancomycin disc. Sixty-five (45.1 %) vancomycin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (VRSA) were observed and the VRSA were hetero-resistant, having grown in BHI agar incorporated with 4 µg/mL and 8 µg/mL of vancomycin. Genes that are responsible for vancomycin resistance were not found, but it was observed that with increasing serial dilution, greater proportion of the previously resistant isolates became susceptible and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of those that were still within the resistant range were discovered to be lower compared to the pre-serial dilution values.
Conclusion: This study isolated <i>S. aureus</i> that exhibited intermediate and resistant phenotypic characteristics to vancomycin in an environment where vancomycin is not commonly prescribed.
