Distribution of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Iraqi patients and Healthcare Workers

Abstract

One hundred and six S. aureus were isolated from 250 Nasal swabs of
Healthcare workers and patients at Al- Kadhamia teaching Hospital and Al-
Numan hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. The study was undertaken over a period of
ten months between August 2011 and June 2012. S. aureus isolates were
diagnosed based on phenotypic traits and biochemical tests. Antibiotics
sensitivity to 11 antibiotics, revealed that S.aureus is totally resistant to
Pencillin G (100%), highly resistant to Cefoxitin (alternative to Methicillin)
(94.3%) While there are varied resistance percentage for the rest of
antibiotics: Erythromycin (37.7%), Tetracycline (34.9%), Gentamicin
(29.3%), Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (50%), Ciprofloxacin (29.2%),
and showed highly sensitive to Rifampin (96.2%), Clarithromycin (78.3%)
and Clindamycin (73.6%),Whereas Vancomycin intermediate S. aureus
(VISA) was 32.1% and 3.8% was Vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA).
The incidence of MRSA among S. aureus was 94.3%. It is concluded that S.
aureus nasal carriage is a common health problem all over the world and
Methicillin resistant S. aureus is an emerging subject even in our
community, which requires further attention and support.