Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Abstract

Khushbu Yadav and Satyam Prakash

Lack of regular surveillance within hospital premises, ineffective monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), lack of formulation of definite antimicrobial policy, ineffective hospital decontamination procedures and unhygienic practices have led to spread of antibiotic resistant S. aureus strains within wards and to the community. The morbidity and the mortality have increased proportionately with the acquisition of antibiotic resistant by MRSA. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of MRSA from upper respiratory tract infection and to find out its antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Nasal swab were collected from OPD and ward patients in a clean, sterile and dry test tube and processed by standard microbiological techniques and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was done by modified Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. MRSA strains were screened by testing with cefoxitin dics having zone of inhibition less than 21 mm. The prevalence of MRSA was 28% and found to be higher in ward with 70.37% than OPD patients (29.62%) and was statistically significant (p=0.001). The MRSA isolates showed highly resistant towards both pencillin, ampicillin with 92.60%, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin with 55.56% and 48.15% repectively whereas greatly sensitive towards both vancomycin and tetracycline with 85.19%. MRSA infection is still one of the most threatening infections in the hospitals of Nepal and globally such infections are difficult to treat which requires regular survillance and monitoring AST of MRSA