Abstract
The study was conducted to determine Beta-lactamase induction in Staphylococcus aureus strains cultured from the nasal cavity and surgical wounds of in- patients at a tertiary teaching hospital.Swab samples were taken from the nasal cavity -wound pair of 110 consented patients. The S. aureus isolates were identified and the antibiotics susceptibility tests were conducted using standard protocols. Beta-lactamase induction was assayed with the micro-iodometric method. The data obtained were statistically analysed.A total of 81 S. aureus isolates were cultured from the nasal cavity and wounds of the 110 samples collected. Beta-lactamase was produced by 14 (41.2%) and 26 (55.3%) of the isolates cultured from the nasal cavity and wounds respectively. Constitutive and induced Beta-lactamase production was observed.Beta-lactamase production in the isolates is not dependent on antibiotic exposure alone. The findings underscore the need for appropriate infection control and adequate hygiene practices to prevent the spread of S. aureus in the hospital settings.
Highlights
The human skin acts as an excellent barrier to infection but if this barrier is breached, microorganisms regarded as commensals on body surface may assume the role of opportunist pathogens
This study aims to determine antibiotic susceptibility pattern and evaluate the induction of β-lactamase in S. aureus isolates
The prevalence of S. aureus recovered from the wound and nasal mucosa was 58% and 42% respectively
Summary
The human skin acts as an excellent barrier to infection but if this barrier is breached, microorganisms regarded as commensals on body surface may assume the role of opportunist pathogens. It has been observed that S. aureus is the most common organism isolated from wound and is the leading cause of bloodstream, lower respiratory tract, skin/soft tissue infections in all body regions (Lowy, 1998; Gordon and Lowy, 2008). A study carried out by Emele, Izomoh & Alufohai (1999) revealed that S. aureus is the most frequently isolated organism in wound infection in post-operative sepsis. Gayathree and Deshpande (2011), Vijayalakshmi (2012) in their study on surgical site infections observed S. aureus as the most common organism isolated from surgical site infection A study carried out by Emele, Izomoh & Alufohai (1999) revealed that S. aureus is the most frequently isolated organism in wound infection in post-operative sepsis. Gayathree and Deshpande (2011), Vijayalakshmi (2012) in their study on surgical site infections observed S. aureus as the most common organism isolated from surgical site infection
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