Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among Horses and Horse Handlers in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Staphylococcal species are important opportunistic bacterial pathogens that can asymptomatically colonize both human and animals bodies. The presence of nasopharyngeal carriage Staphylococci has been an increased risk factor of acquiring an infection with this pathogen. The present study aimed at determining the nasopharyngeal carriage of Staphylococcal aureus in horses and horse handlers in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. One hundred and sixty (160) non-duplicated nasopharyngeal samples were collected using sterile swab stick from each horse and 100 from consented horse handlers. All the samples were analyzed using a standard bacteriological procedure. Antibiotics susceptibility testing to eight (8) most commonly used antibiotics was carried out using a modified Kirby Bauer method. One hundred and forty-two (88.8%) staphylococcal isolates were recovered from horses and 84 (84.0%) from horse handlers. Among all the isolated staphylococci high sensitivity was observed in response to Gentamycin and Ciprofloxacin antibiotics, while Tetracycline was found to have the least activity. The report of this study showed a high prevalence of Staphylococci among horses and horse handlers. Moreover, it confirmed the tendency of Staphylococcal isolates cross-transmission between horses and handlers in the study site. This study indicated the importance of increase in handler's awareness of possible risk factors of staphylococcal colonization that can lead to invasive infection.