Highly Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital, South Western Uganda

Background: S. aureus is a frequent cause of human infections and is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens. Widespread antimicrobial resistance has limited therapeutic choices to treat S. aureus infections. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus has continued to cause significant infections today challenging public health initiatives to a better healthcare.

Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out between February 2016 and January 2017 among inpatients at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, Various clinical specimens were collected basing on nature of infection, and analysed using standard phenotypic methods to characterise S. aureus. Presence of MecA gene was detected by PCR to confirm methicillin resistance strains. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were done to determine resistance patterns using standard methods.

Results: The study revealed the prevalence of S. aureus at 86.7% (n = 390) among inpatients, where; 223(57.2%) were Methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was predominantly isolated from surgical sites; 56.9 %( n = 166), Road traffic accident wounds 67.9% (n = 19) and Burn wounds; 56.3% (n = 09).

Conclusion: There was high prevalence of S. aureus among inpatients and majority of the isolates were methicillin-resistant. Methicillin resistant strains were highly resistant to multiple antibiotics that are commonly used.