Resistance pattern of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among nasal isolates of HIV infected patients.

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage plays an important role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infections, and this status accounts for both community-acquired and nosocomial infections. HIV-positive individuals are at higher risk of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Knowing the Nasal carriage status of Staphylococcus aureus and their Antibiogram will be beneficial for effective management of these patients Material and methods : Nasal samples from both anterior nares were obtained from the subjects using sterile moistened swabs, and the isolates were identified as S. aureus by the standard microbiological tests. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined by the disc diffusion method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Of 300 samples, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 244(81.33%) patients. Prevalence rate of MRSA from the nasal carriage of HIV positive persons was 42%. Methicillin resistant strains were found to be more resistant to antibiotics in comparison to methicillin sensitive strains. Conclusion : Regular surveillance and monitoring of MRSA nasal carriage and antibiotic susceptibility pattern are of prime importance in controlling S. aureus infections especially in high risk groups like HIVinfected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]