Abstract
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes illness to people and can be picked up from both healthcare facilities and the environment leading to high morbidity and mortality. The study was aimed at identifying phenotypic characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of clinical samples isolated from patients attending or admitted in two health facilities in Kiambu County, Kenya. One hundred and thirty-eight (138) clinical samples were collected from patients attending Thika and Kiambu Level-5 Hospitals. The isolates were obtained using standard bacteriological techniques. Methicillin resistance of Staphylococcus aureus was determined using the cefoxitin disk diffusion test. Out of 138 samples, 54 (39.1%) were found to have Staphylococcus aureus of which 22 (40.7%) were shown to be MRSA using the cefoxitin- based susceptibility test. Antibiotic susceptibility testing using Kirby-Bauer technique was performed on all 54 isolates. The highest sensitivity was found in chloramphenicol 46 (85.2%) and lowest in penicillin-G 8 (14.8%). Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) was reported in 35 (64.8%) of the 54 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. All 22 MRSA strains were found to be MDR. the data obtained revealed that there is presence of MRSA in healthcare settings in Kiambu County, Kenya with varying antibiotic sensitivity patterns as well as multidrug resistance. The findings will help healthcare workers in the county to develop preventive strategy as well as institute policy for antibiotic usage, infection control and surveillance.
Highlights
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes illness to people and can be picked up from both healthcare facilities and the environment leading to high morbidity and mortality
Prevalence of MRSA in samples MRSA was detected in 22 (40.7%) out of 54 samples based on cefoxitin-based susceptibility test
Prevalence of MRSA based on Cefoxitin susceptibility by gender
Summary
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes illness to people and can be picked up from both healthcare facilities and the environment leading to high morbidity and mortality. The study was aimed at identifying phenotypic characteristics of MethicillinResistant Staphylococcus aureus and determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of clinical samples isolated from patients attending or admitted in two health facilities in Kiambu County, Kenya. Conclusions: the data obtained revealed that there is presence of MRSA in healthcare settings in Kiambu County, Kenya with varying antibiotic sensitivity patterns as well as multidrug resistance. The bacteria became resistant to methicillin too and started being termed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) [2,3] This results in increased morbidity and mortality in hospitals and in selection of MRSA [2,3]. A variety of conditions including septicemia, wound sepsis and pneumonia are caused by MRSA, posing a grave threat to public health both in the community and hospitals because of resistance to anti-staphylococcal antibiotics [4]
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