Lorenzo Eladnyuke Ewunkem
University of Buea, Cameroon
Title: Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus associated with multi-drug resistance in some hospitals in Limbe Health District in the South West Region of Cameroon
Biography
Biography: Lorenzo Eladnyuke Ewunkem
Abstract
Nosocomial and community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections are signifi cant burdens to our health care systems. Th ese infections are associated with signifi cant morbidity and mortality, increased length of hospitalization and increase treatment costs. A study on Staphylococcus aureus was carried out with a view to isolating, determining the prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates present in clinical and environmental samples in Limbe Health District. Th e results obtained indicated that 231 samples examined (104 environmental, 102 from patients and 25 from health workers), 85(36.8%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Fift y three (41.7%) and thirty-two (30.8%) represented positive cases from clinical and environmental samples respectively. Of the clinical samples examined, gentile secretions (68.2%) had the highest isolation rate while furniture had the highest isolation rate (40.6%) of S. aureus in environmental samples. Females were more predisposed to infection as well as individuals of the age group 31-40years. Results of antibiotic sensitivity tests carried out showed that vancomycin was most eff ective (100% susceptible) closely followed by ofl oxacin (71.8% susceptible). Isolates exhibited complete resistance (100%) to ampcillin, bacitacin and penicillin. Marked resistance was also observed in methicitin (94.1% resistance), gentamicin (83.5% resistance) and oxacillin (75.3% resistance). Twenty-one antibiotyes were identifi ed. A composite biochemical-antimicrobial profi le revealed fi ve biotypes (I, II, III, IV and V) with biotype I being the most frequently encountered, biotype II had the highest occurrence of seven antibiotypes while biotypes IV and V had the least number of antiobiotypes (two each). Th e multiple resistances observed are not surprising as multi-drug resistant strains are steady increasing over the years. As such, hospital infection control strategies will have to be redefi ned and community approaches developed to reduce transmission.