ABSTRACT

 This study examines the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from Practical year students and MOUAU farm staff. 50 nasal swabs, 15 MOUAU Staff and 35 practical year students of MOUAU were analyzed. Standard Microbiology procedure was used to identify the Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined using the modified Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. The susceptibility of staphylococcus aureus to fourteen (14) antimicrobial agents Cefuroxime - 30pg, Amoxicilin Clavulanate - 30pg, Cefotaxime - 25pg, Ceftriaxone Sulbactam - 45pg, Cefexime - 5pg, Levofloxacin - 5pg, Imipenem/Cilastatin - 10/10pg, Erythromycin - 15pg, Ofloxacin - 5pg, Azithromycin - 15pg, Gentamicin - lOpg, Oxacillin - 30pg, Vancomycin - 30pg was examined. The result of this study shows that the prevalence rate of Staphylococcus aureus was high 35(70%). The isolate demonstrated high level of susceptibility to Oxacillin (94.29%), Ofloxacin (88.57%), Levofloxacin (85.71%) and Vancomycin (82.86%). The test organisms were considerably susceptible to Gentapiicin (71.43%), Azithromycin (54.23%) and Erythromycin (51.43%) While the isolates were highly resistant to antibiotics such as Cefotaxime (100%), Ceftriaxone (100%), Cefuroxime (94.29), Cefexime (94.29%). Changing patterns of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to drugs continues to pose a problem to health care procedures globally despite the development of new antibiotics. These high rates of resistance have been attributed to factors such as misuse of these drugs by health professionals and unskilled practitioners among others. Thus, there is need for continuous and regular antimicrobial resistance surveillance in the country in order to guide empirical therapy and to provide adequate control strategies to combat this public health problem.