Abstract:
Background: The colonization of nasal nares of health care workers with Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus are the major source of infection. Accurate and early determination of
Methicillin resistance is of key importance in the prognosis of infections caused by S. aureus.
However, there is limited study has been conducted regarding the colonization of health care
workers with Methicillin-resistant S. aureus in Harar, Eastern Ethiopia.
Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of nasal carriage of
Methicillin-Resistant Sthaphylococcus aureus associated factors and Antimicrobial susceptibility
patterns among health care workers of public hospitals in Harar, Eastern Ethiopia from May 15
to July 30 2021.
Method: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 295 study participants. Nasal
samples were collected by sterile cotton swabs. Then each nasal was inoculated onto Mannitol
salt agar and blood agar plates and incubated aerobically at 37oC for 24h. Isolated pure colonies
were identified using standard microbiological methods. Modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion
technique was used for antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Staphylococuss aureus using different
antibiotics. Cefoxitin-resistant strains were confirmed as Methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Data
were entered into EPI-Info version-7 and then transferred to SPSS version-20 for analysis.
Factors associated with nasal carriage of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococuss aureus were
determined by using chi-square analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically
significant.
Result: The prevalence of Staphylococuss aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus in this study was 15.6% (95% CI: 11.7%, 20.3%) and 11.2% (95% CI: 7.8%, 15.4%)
respectively. age (P<0.001), work experience (p<0.001), working unit (p<0.02), antibiotic use
within 3 months (p<0.001), hand washing habit (p<0.01), hand rub use (p<0.001), living with
smokers (p<0.001), living with pets (p<0.001) and having chronic diseases (p<0.001) were found
significantly associated with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage.
Conclusions: The prevalence of Staphylococuss aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus are highest in our study, urging a better diagnostic, screening and antimicrobial
susceptibility testing to combat Staphylococuss aureus transmission and the emergence of
antimicrobial resistance infection in our clinical setting.
