Staphylococcus aureus carriage in selected communities and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen.
• Understanding its carriage and antibiotic resistance is crucial for infection control.
• Community-acquired infections pose a growing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine Staphylococcus aureus carriage rates in healthy adults and nursing home residents.
• To analyze antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains.
• To identify risk factors associated with carriage and resistance.

Main Methods:

• Swab samples (nasal, throat, axillary) collected from 100 healthy adults and 90 nursing home inmates.
• Antibiotic disc susceptibility testing performed using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) method.
• Data analyzed to determine carriage prevalence and resistance profiles.

Main Results:

• Staphylococcus aureus carriage was observed in 29% of healthy adults and 47.7% of nursing home inmates.
• High resistance rates noted for penicillin (92.4%) and moderate resistance to fusidic acid (11.3%).
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was not detected; however, multi-antibiotic resistant strains were found in healthy individuals.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcus aureus colonization is prevalent in both community and institutional settings.
• Multi-antibiotic resistant strains exist in the community, even in individuals without typical risk factors.
• Surveillance of carriage and resistance patterns is essential for effective public health strategies.