Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Methicillin Resistance Staphylococcus aureus in Khartoum Sudan

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become increasinglyprevalent worldwide. Multi-resistant MRSA has been commonly reported to beone of the commonest causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. Also, recentreports describe MRSA in community. The aim of this study was to determine theprevalence of MRSA and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among hospitaland community acquired Staphylococcus aureus isolates from Khartoum hospitals(Sudan), from September 2010 to September 2011. This is a cross sectional study.Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated and identified from patients suffering fromskin and wound infections in Khartoum using conventional microbiology techniques.MRSA strains were investigated by detection of mecA gene using PCR. MRSA strainswere also tested for antimicrobial resistance using Kirby-Bauer NCCLS modifieddisc diffusion technique. A total of 223 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolates werecollected from 400 patients suffering wound and skin infections 46.2% (103/223)strains were from community acquired infections, and 53.8% (120/223) strainswere from hospital acquired infections, 78 out of 223 (35.3%) were found to be methicillin resistant. Resistant to amoxyclav, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin,tetracycline, rifampicin, vancomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and imipenemwere found in 57.7%, 100%, 47.4%, 29.5%, 50%, 14.1%, 9%, 55.1%, 78.2%, and3.8% MRSA strains respectively. Our study found high percentage MRSA strains.MRSA isolates showed resistance to at least two antibiotics tested while 64.1% weremulti-drug resistant. Imipenem or vancomycin may be an alternative antibiotic forpatients with wound or skin infection caused by MRSA. Keywords: Clinical Sciences, prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, methicillin resistanceStaphylococcus aureus, mecA gene.