ABSTRACT

 This study was to determine the occurrence of Beta-lactamases activities of antibiotics resistant 5. aureus from sick patients in MOUAU clinic. A total of hundred (100) stool and urine samples were cultured on Mannitol Salt agar (MSA) plates using streak plate techniques. A total of eleven (11) Staphyk.icoccus aureus isolates were obtained from the 32 stool samples, while twenty-seven (27) Staphylococcus aureus isolates were obtaind from the 68 urine samples studied. The prevalence rate (%) in this study showed that in the stool sample, the highest number and percentage of Staphylococcus aureus was observed for male students 27(30.4%), while in the urine sample, the highest number and percentage of Staphylococcus aureus was observed for female students 2 1(48.8%). About 62(62%) of the 100 samples showed no traces of Staphylococcus specie. However, the drug susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus from the samples showed varying percentage of sensitivity and resistance to the antibiotics. From this study, Ofloxacin (5mcg) and Gentamicin (lOmcg) exhibited high percentage of sensitivity against the Staphylococcus aureus at 92.1% susceptibility each. Cefuroxime (3Omcg), Ceftazidime (30mcg), Amoxicillin (30mcg) Cloxacillin (5rncg) and Ceftiaxone (3Omcg) showed high level of resistance against the Staphylococcus aureus at 38(100%), 35(92.1%), 33(86.8%) and 27(71.0%) respectively. This study also revealed that the highest number and percentage of Staphylococcus aureus positive to Beta-lactamase production was observed for male students 4(100%) in stool sample, while in urine sample, the highest number and percentage of Staphylococcus aureus isolates positive to Beta-lactamase antibiotics was observed for female students 1 5(71 .4%). Therefore, this study suggests aggressive surveillance system in hospitals and clinics for early detection of beta lactamase carrying S. aureus and also for antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus among the sick patients in the hospital and clinical setting due to the high prevalence of these microorganisms in MOUAU, Abia state, Nigeria.