Prevalence And Current Antibiogram Of Staphylococci Isolated From Various Clinical Specimens In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pondicherry

Abstract

Background: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Coagulasenegative staphylococcus (CONS) is reported to be increasing globally. Objectives: To find the magnitude of staphylococci infection and current susceptibility pattern in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Pondicherry. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study comprised of 550 coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from various clinical specimens (pus, sputum, body fluids, high vaginal swab, wound swabs and tracheal aspirates) from patients at our hospital over a period of 1 year. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for the isolates as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Methicillin resistance was detected using oxacillin and cefoxitin disc diffusion method, and oxacillin screen agar method. Results: Most of the staphylococcal isolates were from patients admitted in surgery wards, followed by orthopedics and obstetrics and gynecology. Of the total 550 Staphylococcus isolates, 284 (51.63%) were methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), 59 (10.7%) were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 207 (49.09%) were CoNS. Methicillin resistance was seen in 17.2% (59/ 343) isolates of S. aureus and 23.2% (48/ 207) of CoNS. The sensitivity of MRSA to vancomycin and clindamycin were 100% and 78% respectively. The resistance of MRSA was very high for co-trimoxazole (88.1%) and ciprofloxacin (81.4%). The MR-CoNS showed very high resistance for co-trimoxazole (79.2%) and erythromycin (72.9%). Conclusion: Regular surveillance of hospital- associated infection and monitoring of antibiotic susceptibility pattern is required to reduce prevalence of methicillin resistance among Staphylococci.