Journal of Infectious Diseases & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Objective: Topical mupirocin has the power to eradicate nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, mupirocin resistance has been increasingly reported. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of mupirocin resistance in MRSA isolates from clinical and nasal samples by conventional and molecular methods and to test their susceptibility to other antibiotics. Materials & Methods: A total of 60 MRSA non-duplicate isolates were included in this study, 14 from surgical wounds, 16 from urinary tract infections from patients admitted to Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt, as well as 30 nasal swabs, obtained from health care workers. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for MRSA isolates to mupirocin were assessed using E-test method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting MupA gene was performed. Results: Using E-test, six isolates out of 60 MRSA (10%) exhibited high level resistance to mupirocin and only one isolate (1.6%) exhibited low level mupirocin resistance. Four isolates out of six MRSA that exhibited high level mupirocin resistance carried MupA gene. All seven isolates (11.6%) that showed mupirocin resistance were from nasal carriers. Compared to mupirocin-susceptible strains of MRSA, strains with mupirocin resistance strains were more likely to be resistant to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Conclusion: The prevalence of high-level mupirocin resistance (10%) and low-level resistance (1.6%) in MRSA in our institution is a cause for concern. Hence, it is recommended that routine testing of MRSA for mupirocin resistance be conducted even in facilities where mupirocin is not prophylactically administered.

Biography

Email: Lobna.metwally@gmail.com