Screening for Nasal Carriage of Mupirocin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital

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Original Article

Author Details : Elanithi K, Kavitha E, Joshy M Easow

Volume : 5, Issue : 2, Year : 2018

Article Page : 240-243

https://doi.org/10.18231/2394-5478.2018.0050

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Abstract

Introduction: The aim is to isolate and to identify Staphylococcus aureus from the nasal swabs of the health care workers and screen for the mupirocin resistance among the isolated Staphylococcus strains.

Materials and Methods: Present study is a prospective type of study. A total of 100 nasal swabs were collected from health care workers. All the nasal swabs were cultured on MacConkey and Blood agar. Isolated organisms were subjected for antibiotic susceptibility testing by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Results: Among the 100 nasal swabs, Staphylococcus spp. was isolated in 100 (100%) samples which comprised of 13 (13%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates and 87(87%) were Coagulase negative Staphylococcus. Of 13 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 7 (53.84%) and 6 (46.15%) were detected as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus respectively. None of S.aureus isolates was resistant to mupirocin. Low level mupirocin resistant (MupL) was seen in 10 (30%) of Methicillin Resistant Coagulase negative Staphylococcus and 5 (14.7%) in Methicillin Sensitive Coagulase negative Staphylococcus isolates, respectively. High level mupirocin resistant (MupH) was seen in 4 (12%) of Methicillin Resistant Coagulase negative Staphylococcus and 4 (12%) of MRCoNS and MSCoNS isolates, respectively.

Conclusion: Mupirocin is a potent antibiotic to treat the nasal carriage of S. aureus. As resistance to mupirocin both low and high level is on rise, it is a matter of great concern. Policies and guidelines should be framed to create awareness among the health care workers regarding the screening methods for the detection and treatment of nasal carriage.

Keywords: MRSA- Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MSSA- Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Mupirocin resistance

How to cite : Elanithi K, Kavitha E, Easow J M, Screening for Nasal Carriage of Mupirocin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital. Indian J Microbiol Res 2018;5(2):240-243

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