Antimicrobial resistance profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with infection at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens of public health importance responsible for various forms of infection. Development of resistance to commonly used antimicrobials limited treatment options against infections due to this pathogen. Antimicrobial resistance profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients with surgical site infection and ear infection and corresponding nasal swab was investigated in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: Wound and corresponding nasal swabs from patients with surgical site infection from general surgery ward (n = 14), orthopedic ward (n = 21) and those with otitis media (n = 59) from Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) ward were cultured for S. aureus isolation according to standard procedures from December 2013 to June 2014. Isolates were investigated for susceptibility to panel of 17 antimicrobials using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion assay. Susceptibility to methicillin was phenotypically determined based on sensitivity of isolates to cefoxitin and oxacillin. RESULTS: A total of 79 S. aureus isolates were recovered from 54(57.4%) of patients. The isolates were resistant to ampicillin (100%), oxacillin and cefoxitin (68.4%, each), clindamycin (63.3%), cephalothin (59.5%), tetracycline (57%), sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim and bacitracin (53.2%, each), and erythromycin (51.9%). Resistance to two or more antimicrobials was recorded in 74 (95%) of the isolates, while resistance to 3 or more antimicrobials was detected in 65(82.3%) of the isolates. Fifty-four (68.4%) of the isolates were methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Rate of occurrence of MRSA was more common among isolates from surgical wards (p < 0.001) compared to those from ENT ward. High level of multi-drug resistance (MDR) was detected more commonly among isolates from orthopedic ward than those from general surgical ward and patients with ear infection (p < 0.001). One of the isolate cultured from wound swab of a patient with surgical site infection from orthopedic ward was resistant to all of the 17 antimicrobials tested. CONCLUSION: S. aureus isolates from patients in TASH exhibited resistance to majority of antimicrobials commonly employed for the treatment of staphylococcal infections which calls for urgent need of prudent use of antimicrobials and the need for implementation of effective infection control practices to hamper spread of MDR S. aureus.