Occurrence of Methicillin and Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria

The susceptibility of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from a hospital to seven antibiotics; namely ofloxacin, vancomycin, oxacillin, erythromycin ampicillin and gentamicin was examined. The isolates were recovered from wound, skin, urine, blood, vaginal, cerebrospinal fluid and ear infections. After confirmation as S. aureus through gram stain and biochemical tests, the antibiogram of each isolate was determined using the disk diffusion method. A total of 214 S. aureus isolates were examined of which 28 (13.1%) were resistant to methicillin. Of these 25% were sensitive to ofloxacin, 85.7% to vancomycin, 10.7% to erythromycin 0% to ampicillin and gentamicin. Four (14.3%) of the Methicillin resistant isolates were also resistant to vancomycin and all other antibiotics. There was a significant difference in the sensitivity pattern between inpatient isolates and outpatient isolates in this study (p <0.05). This study established the presence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as well as VRSA in this locality and hence the need to implement measures that will limit the dissemination of these strains in the hospital and the community.