Prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and risks factors in pig farmers in rural West region, Cameroon

Abstract

Background: Animal farming can be a potential reservoir of microbial resistance. Little data and information are documented on the prevalence and spread of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in remote and rural and semi-urban settings in developing countries. Yet, the increasing spread of antibiotics resistance either in the community or at the hospital has become a major public health problem in Cameroon. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nasal methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriers among pig farmers and breeders in the West Region of Cameroon. Methods: A total of 103 nasal scraping samples were collected in four distant division of Bamboutos, Nkoung-Khi, Menoua and Mifi for microbiological, biochemical and sensitivity testing according to the standard protocol of CASFM 2018. Results: A high presence of Staphylococcus aureus of 29.13% was documented. S. aureus resistant showed 93.3%, to the ß-lactamases family, with MRSA prevalence at 27.18%. Resistance to glycopeptides (vancomycin) was 60%, macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramines mainly resistance to erythromycin 90% and clindamycin 30.6%, tetracycline 83.3%, fusidic acid 96.6% and to aminosides (tobramycin and gentamycin 76.6%). All isolated samples were sensitive to fluoroquinolones, notably to ofloxacin (80%) and to ciprofloxacin (86.6%). Conclusion: There is an urgent need to implement a robust and sustainable MRSA and AMR surveillance in curbing the growing threat locally.