ABSTRACT

This study was to determine the nasal carriage rate of Methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus among healthy students in Mouau. A total of 26 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were obtained from the 60 samples comprising of 36 from males and 24 from the females. The Staphylococcus aureus isolates were obtained and identified using morphological characteristics, pigmentation on media, microscopy and biochemical testing procedures. The rate of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the nasal swab samples of healthy MOUAU students was found to be 26 representing (43.3%), with 11 representing (45.8%) from the female category while a lower of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus was observed in the nasal swab samples obtained from the male categories with 15 representing (41.7%). The susceptibility test results showed cefepime to be the least effective agent with 53.8% bacterial resistance, followed by azithromycin and imipenem with a percentage resistance of 50.0%, cefotaxime with a resistance of 46.2%, then ceftriaxone had a percentage resistance of 42.3%, while levofloxacin had the least percentage resistance of 7.7%. The rate of MRSA isolation in this study was found to be 10 representing (38.5%). The MRSA carriage rate was higher among females with 6 representing (54.5%) while the MRSA carriage rates in male individuals was lesser with 4 representing (26.7%). The rate of MSSA isolation was found to be 16 representing (61.5%). The prevalence of MRSA among MOUAU students in Umuahia was reported to be high. Simple hygiene measures like hand washing are effective in preventing spread of resistant organisms in the community. Finally there is need to implement strategies for elimination of nasal carriage of S. aureus, so as to prevent severe multi-drug resistant S. aureus infections in our environments.