In vitro Susceptibility Profile of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates From Clinical Specimens to Commonly Used Antibiotics in Minna, Nigeria

Multiple resistant Staphylococcus aureus became a world-wide problem. It has been commonly reported to be one of the commonest causes of hospital acquired infections. The aim of this study was to investigate its prevalence in clinical specimens and its sensitivity pattern to other antibiotics. Different clinical specimens collected from patients attending General Hospital Minna were cultured and screened for S. aureus using standard microbiological procedures. The isolates were then subjected to disc diffusion technique. All the isolates were highly susceptible to tetracycline, cefxime and ciprofloxacin (80%) followed by erythromycin (72%), chloramphenicol (68%), gentamicin (64%), cotrimozaxole (52%) and the least ampicillin (32%) and penicillin (24%). All the MRSA isolates showed resistance to at least two antibiotics tested in this study, indicating the presence of strong selective pressure from antibiotics use in this locality. There is an urgent need to adopt basic principles of aseptic and high personal hygiene, for most staphylococcal infections are readily transmitted among susceptible populations by the individuals who have acquired them by hospitalization.