Nasal carriage of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus with reduced Vancomycin susceptibility (MRSA-RVS) by healthy adults in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected from anterior nares of fifty healthy adults in Zaria and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns determined. 72% of the isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The isolates were generally resistant to multiple antibiotics including Chloramphenicol (78% resistance), Penicillin (100% resistance), and Tetracycline (66% resistance). Vancomycin susceptibility studies revealed that 86% of the isolates were Vancomycin intermediate. There is a need to observe antibiotic use policies faithfully in order to prevent the spread of resistances.

Keywords: MRSA, Reduced-susceptibility, Staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycin, VISA

> Journal of Tropical Microbiology and Biotechnology Vol. 3(1) 2007: pp. 19-22