Detection of MRSA Carriers among Health Care Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the main causative agents of nosocomial infections that has posed a major threat to those with compromised immune systems beside health care workers (HCWs) which may act as carriers. This study was aimed to determine the carriage rates of MRSA strains among health care workers. Methodology: Cross-sectional, based study, 60 nasal and hand swabs were collected from HCWs who were enrolled in hospital and had close contact with patients. Isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus was done by culture and biochemical tests. Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method was used for the antimicrobial sensitivity test. Results: About 20 (33%) out of the study population were found to be colonized by S. aureus. Only 4 (20%) of isolated Staphylococcus aureus which belong to the nasal sample among HCWs were found to be MRSA while absent at hand. Conclusion: The study concluded that nasal and hand carriage of Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA were relatively low.