ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile human pathogen possessing numerous virulence factors and is also the major cause of important infections in community and hospital settings. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of multidrug resistant S. aureus from wound infection patients in Federal Medical Center Umuahia, Abia State and also to characterize the S. aureus. A total of 300 wound swab samples from diabetic leg ulcers, accident wound, burn wounds and surgical site wounds were collected from different wards and cultured on Blood agar and Mannitol salt agar. Colonies with typical morphologies were selected and Gram stained, standard biochemical test and molecular analysis was done to identify the isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method following the CLSI guidelines. Biofilm forming potential, beta lactamase production and methicillin resistance of the isolates were done using Congo red agar medium, rapid penicillinase paper strip test and cefoxitin disk diffusion method respectively. Plasmid analysis was done using the QIAprep Spin Plasmid kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions and curing of the plasmid were both done. The data was analyzed using IBM SPPS version 20. Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the 300 processed wound swabs were 50 (16.7%), of these, 14 (15%) were from diabetic leg ulcer, 11 (14.6%) from accident wound, 16 (23.1%) from burn wound and 9 (14.2%) from surgical site wound. There were no significant difference (P>0.05) in the different wards and sites of collection and between age and those with highly resistant S.aureus.  Antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates in the study from the various wound types showed increased resistance to norfloxacin (82%), ampiclox (80%), amoxicillin (76%), chloramphenicol (62%) and rifampicin (52%) among others. The overall prevalence of methicillin resistance S. aureus was 14.0%, while 66% of the S.aureus was multidrug resistant. 62% showed biofilm forming potential while 66% produced beta lactamase. Results of the study showed the presence high multidrug resistance. Therefore, antibiotic susceptibility testing should be performed prior to treatment; also adequate measures should be taken to avoid the transfer of multidrug resistant S.aureus among patients and health care workers