NASAL CARRIAGE RATE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS, ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS, HARAR, EASTERN ETHIOPIA.

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.