Frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in health care

authors:

avatar Somayeh Rahimi-Alang 1 , avatar Mehdi Asmar 2 , avatar Fatemeh Cheraghali 3 , avatar Sarah Yazarlou 4 , avatar Abolfazl Amini 1 , avatar Fatemeh Shakeri 1 , avatar Ezzatollah Ghaemi 5 , *

MSc of Microbiology, School of Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Lahijan, Iran.
Professor of parasitology, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Lahijan, Iran.
Assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases, Research center of infectious diseases, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
BSc of Microbiology, Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Associate Professor of Microbiology, Research Center of Infection Diseases, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: Vol.13, issue 1; e94081
published online: September 20, 2010
article type: Research Article
received: April 14, 2010
accepted: June 01, 2010

how to cite: Rahimi-Alang S, Asmar M, Cheraghali F, Yazarlou S, Amini A, et al. Frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in health care. Zahedan J Res Med Sci. 2011;13(1):e94081. 

Abstract

Background : Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important pathogen in hospitals. Healthcare personnel are the main source of nosocomial infections and identification and control of MRSA carriers can reduce incidence of infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MRSA and their antibiotic susceptibility profile among healthcare workers in Gorgan.
  Materials and Method : 333 healthcare workers were participated in this cross-sectional study in 2009. Samples were taken with sterile cotton swabs from both anterior nares and hands. Swabs were plated immediately on to the mannitol salt agar. Suspected colonies were confirmed as S. aureus by Gram staining, catalase, coagulase and DNase tests. Minimum inhibition concentration by micro dilution broth method was used to determine methicillin resistant strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility to other antibiotics was performed according to NCCLS guidelines by disc diffusion method.
  Result : Frequency of S.aureus and MRSA carriers among healthcare workers was 24% and 3% respectively. The highest rate of S. aureus and MRSA carriers were observed in operating room staff. Resistance to penicillin was seen in 97.5% of isolates and all strains were sensitive to vancomycin.
  Conclusions : Frequency of S. aureus and MRSA in healthcare workers was median and rather low respectively. Continual monitoring and control of carriers can reduce distribution of this organism and their infections

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References

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