MRSA INFECTIONS IN SURGERY PATIENTS

Abstract

SSI is associated with substantial increased of postoperative hospital stay, rates of hospital readmission, hospital cost, functional disability, and mortality rate. Patients in hospitals which are infected and colonized mediate the dissemination of (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ) MRSA strains. Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major contributor of healthcare associated infection. Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen responsible for both community-acquired as well as hospital-associated infections. The prevalence of MRSA and its antibiotic sensitivity pattern for proper treatment of the patients is necessary for reducing the morbidity and mortality of the patients.

Methods: All adult patients admitted to the hospital and assigned for an elective surgery were chosen to collect data on MRSA. Swabs were taken from the anterior nares and axilla. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disk diffusion method using guidelines established by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and MRSA was detected by testing with Cefoxitin disc

Results: A total of 60 (30%) patients found to be were colonized with Staphylococcus epidermidis and 42 (21%) patients had positive nasal swabs for Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and 15 (8.5%) patients were Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).

Conclusion: MRSA strains are more prevalent in tertiary care hospital and multidrug resistant MRSA prevalence is higher in surgical units. The most effective way to prevent MRSA is surveillance of antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, control of MRSA is essential to curtail the introduction and spread of infection in the hospitals. This can be achieved by using universal precautions and conducting regular epidemiological studies.