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Drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus contamination in the ward environment
Y Tanaka1, A Adachi, A Ashimoto
1Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University.
Summary
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus strains, including S. aureus, were prevalent in a hospital environment. Routine surveillance and staff screening are crucial for preventing the spread of these multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hospital Epidemiology
Background:
- Hospital-acquired infections pose a significant threat to patient safety.
- Staphylococcus species are common causes of nosocomial infections.
- Antimicrobial resistance, particularly methicillin resistance, is a growing concern in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus strains isolated from a hospital ward environment.
- To identify the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus strains, including Staphylococcus aureus.
- To assess the necessity of routine environmental and staff screening for preventing nosocomial transmission.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and identification of Staphylococcus strains from the hospital ward environment over a nine-month period.
- Performance of drug-susceptibility testing on all isolated Staphylococcus strains.
- Determination of methicillin resistance using specific antibiotic susceptibility tests.
Main Results:
- A total of 282 Staphylococcus strains were isolated, with Staphylococcus epidermidis (30%), Staphylococcus aureus (23%), and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (21%) being the most common.
- 48% of all staphylococci and 20% of Staphylococcus aureus strains exhibited methicillin resistance (DMPPC-resistant).
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains displayed multidrug resistance to 3-7 antibiotics, while susceptible strains were resistant to fewer than two drugs.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of Staphylococcus isolates in the hospital ward environment were methicillin-resistant.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains demonstrated extensive multidrug resistance, posing a therapeutic challenge.
- Routine environmental monitoring and screening of medical staff anterior nares are essential strategies to curb nosocomial transmission of resistant Staphylococcus species.