Antimicrobial resistance profile and molecular detection of MecA gene in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from patients in selected general hospitals in Abuja municipal, Nigeria

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is globally recognized as an important pathogen associated with both hospital and community acquired infections. Studies on antibiotic resistance profile of S. aureus and carriage of mecA gene in methicillin resistant isolates from patients attending selected general hospitals in Abuja Municipal, Nigeria was carried out. Three hundred and sixty (360) clinical samples (200 urine, 50 high vaginal swabs, 60 ear swab and 40 wound swabs) were collected from Asokoro General Hospital (AGH), Garki Hospital Abuja (GHA) and Wuse General Hospital (WGH); and S. aureus was isolated and identified using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates was carried out using disc diffusion method. Molecular detection of mecA gene in methicillin resistant isolates was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction method. The total occurrence of S. aureuswas 15.3% (55/360); and the occurrence in relation to the selected hospitals was high in GHA (22.7%) and low in AGH (10.3%). The occurrence of S. aureus was highest in wound swabs in all the hospitals in the order: GHA (47.1%) > AGH (40%) > WGH (35.7%). The isolates from all the hospitals were highly (≥ 50.0%) resistant to all the antibiotics tested; but moderately (≤ 40.0%) to gentamicin and levofloxacin. The occurrence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates in the selected hospitals was high in GHA (27%) but low in AGH (12%). Of the 32 oxacillin resistant isolates, mecA gene was detected in 30 (93.8%). The S. aureus isolates were less resistant to gentamicin and levofloxacin and most of the oxacillin resistant isolates harbored mecA gene.