Detection of rifampicin resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the medical centers at Ahmadu Bello University

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of rifampicin resistance among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (S.) aureus (MRSA) isolates obtained from patients in two health facilities at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Methods: A total of 200 non-duplicate presumptive Staphylococcal isolates were collected from the health facilities. The isolates were confirmed using mannitol salt agar, and biochemical tests were performed to identify S. aureus. The confirmed S. aureus isolates underwent antibiotic susceptibility tests, and the results were interpreted according to the guidelines provided by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate virulence and antibiotic resistance determinant, such as Spa, mecA, and rpoB. Results: This study revealed a S. aureus isolation rate of 22 (11.0%), and 18.2% of these S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant, with the highest prevalence of resistance (9.1%) found in wound swab. The results further showed that 75.0% of the MRSA isolates were resistant to rifampicin. The molecular analysis showed that all the isolates carried the virulence gene (Spa), with a prevalence of 10.0% for mecA and 20.0% for rpoB genes, respectively. Conclusions: This study underscores the prevalence of rifampicin resistance among MRSA isolates in medical centers, advocating for the development of alternative strategies to combat the current trends in antibiotic resistance and control of rifampicin-resistant MRSA.