Nasal Carriage of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Healthcare Workers at Banadir Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia
Description
Background: Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to healthcare services and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is common among hospital workers. Currently, there is no research on MRSA and its prevalence in Somalia. This study sought to determine the prevalence of nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage and the susceptibility pattern of healthcare workers’ MRSA isolates. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study involved nasal swab collection from healthcare workers at Banadir Teaching Hospital. Cefoxitin discs were used to identify methicillin-resistant strains, and their antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer (disc diffusion) method. Based on specialty, e.g., pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, laboratory, and intensive care unit (ICU), participants were recruited from different wards. Nasal swabs from 215 participants were inoculated on mannitol salt agar, and yellow colonies were aseptically transferred into blood agar, inoculated on DNase agar, and subjected to catalase, coagulase, and gram staining tests. Next, bacterial suspensions were prepared and aseptically inoculated on Mueller–Hinton agar plates, followed by cefoxitin antibiotic (30 μg) disc testing. Staphylococcus aureus was categorized/interpreted based on the zone diameter (nearest whole millimeter) of the cefoxitin discs. Samples with diameters of ≤21 mm were considered to be MRSA) while those with diameters of ≥22 mm were regarded as methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.
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Methods The study involved the collection of nasal swabs from 215 healthcare workers at Banadir Teaching Hospital. The following methods were employed: 1. Sample Collection: Nasal swabs were collected from participants representing various specialties, including pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, laboratory, and intensive care unit (ICU). 2. Identification of MRSA: o Culture and Isolation: Swabs were inoculated on mannitol salt agar to isolate Staphylococcus aureus. Yellow colonies were transferred to blood agar and tested on DNase agar. Catalase, coagulase, and gram staining tests were conducted for identification. o Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing: Bacterial suspensions were prepared and inoculated on Mueller–Hinton agar plates for testing with cefoxitin (30 mg) discs. 3. Interpretation of Results: Staphylococcus aureus strains were categorized based on the zone diameter of the cefoxitin discs: o MRSA: Zone diameter ≤ 21 mm. o Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus: Zone diameter ≥ 22 mm.