Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile among Patients Attending Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important causative agents of hospital and community associated bacterial infections. The increasing rate of prevalence indicates the need to study the antimicrobial susceptibility profile patterns. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profile pattern of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in northern India. 150 clinical isolates of S. aureus were included in the study. Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method was performed to identify antibiotic susceptibility profile, phenotypically methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was identified by using cefoxitin disc (30 μg). Characteristics of the isolates in this study were determined by traditional biochemical tests including catalase, coagulase, and test for DNAse, and fermentation of mannitol. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were carried out by disc agar diffusion test. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 was used as a reference control organism. Out of 150 clinical isolates of S. aureus, 97 (64.67%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and 53 (35.33%) were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). 21-30 years age group has the highest percentage of the isolates (28.00%) and the age group with lowest percentage was found in the age groups 71-80 years. The source of isolates with the highest frequency was pus (56.67%), followed by urine (20.00%), and the source with the least number of isolates was serous fluid (0.67%). Teicoplanin, Linezolid, Vancomycin, Gentamicin and Tetracycline were found to be the most effective antibiotics against MRSA isolates. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 64.67%. Teicoplanin, Linezolid, Vancomycin, Gentamicin and Tetracycline found to be the most effective antibiotics against the MRSA isolates. Thus, it is believed that these antibiotics can be used in the treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the study area.