Applied Microbiology

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major problem worldwide causing hospital acquired and community infections. The spectrum of infections is manifold and is associated with worse outcome. In Nigeria, the incidence of MRSA has been on the increase thereby increasing concerns because of the linked increase in morbidity and mortality rates. There is still

paucity of current information on MRSA in patients in Africa and treatment options available compared to the developed world. This cross sectional based study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from 246 clinical samples collected at a tertiary care hospital, its antimicrobial susceptibility, spectrum of infections and the associated risk factors. Standard procedures were used for isolation, screening and susceptibility testing. The result showed that 41 (40.2%) out of 102 S. aureus isolated were methicillin-resistant while 61 (59.8%) were methicillin-sensitive. The prevalence rates of MRSA for male and female group were 37.3% and 43.1% respectively. 30 (73.2%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were obtained from inpatients while 11 (26.8%) were from outpatients. MRSA were significantly isolated from the Orthopedic ward (OR=3.36; P=0.031) and the antenatal ward (OR=8.33; P=0.037). High resistance rates were exhibited by MRSA isolates to cefotaxime (102, 79.4%) and clindamycin (102, 49%) except to gentamicin (102, 27.5%) and chloramphenicol (n=102, 28.4%). 32 (78%) out of 41 MRSA isolated were multidrug resistant. All isolates (MRSA and MSSA) were susceptible to vancomycin with MIC values ranging from 2.1-0.12 μg/ ml. This study showed a high prevalence of MRSA in clinical infections that were resistant to treatment options in Ile-Ife. Admission to antenatal and orthopaedic wards was a predictor for MRSA infection in the hospital. In spite of reports that vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is increasing, it is yet to be a problem in the hospital as it remains a drug of choice for the treatment of MRSAand multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.