NASAL CARRIAGE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN HIGH-RISK UNITS OF A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Authors

  • M.M. ABDULAZIZ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • O. JIMOH Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • L. AMADU Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • A. IBRAHIM Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • F.J. GIWA Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria
  • A.T. OLAYINKA Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University/Teaching Hospital, Zaria

Keywords:

Carriage, Healthcare workers, High-risk units, MRSA.

Abstract

Carriage of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by individuals has been the means by which it
perseveres in the environment. Healthcare workers get colonized due to their close contact to patients and poor
adherence to infection control. The study aimed at evaluating the nasal carriage of MRSA among healthcare
workers in high-risk units of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria and evaluate the
antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of
10 months (between January to November). Stratified sampling was used to collect a total of 427 nasal swabs,
screened for MRSA using cefoxitin disk diffusion, then confirmed by testing for the mecA gene product using
latex agglutination test for PBP2a. From the 427 healthcare workers swabbed, 81 (19%) isolates were identified
as S. aureus using Staphaurex®, among which 10(12.3%) screened positive for methicillin resistance using
cefoxitin disk, and all were confirmed by Oxoid latex agglutination test for PBP2‘to be MRSA, given an overall
nasal carriage of 2.3% for MRSA from the total population studied. Nurses accounted for 6(60%) while doctors
accounted for the rest (40%), with the highest proportions of MRSA recovery from oncology (50%) and
orthopaedic (25%) units. There was no significant difference in carriage between the ages (P=0.702), and length
of stay in the units (P=0.89). The highest percentage resistance was to penicillin (90.1%), then sulphamethoxazole-
trimethoprim (28.4%), however, there was almost universal (98.8%) susceptibility to genticin and complete
susceptibility to rifampicin (100%). Most 6(60%) of the MRSA isolates were multidrug resistant. The carriage
from this study was low compared to what was reported from other parts of Nigeria. The pattern of resistance to
other antibiotics tallies with reports from other centers in Africa. Continuous vigilance, improved infection control
practices and antibiotic stewardship program is necessary to maintain this low prevalence.

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Published

2022-12-22

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 2 (2022)

Section

Articles