Browsing by Author "Karikari, Akosua Bonsu"

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    The prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of methicilin resistant staphylococcus aureus in Kumasi
    (2009) Karikari, Akosua Bonsu
    Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a serious therapeutic problem worldwide, however data on prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns is lacking in Africa and for that matter Ghana. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of MRSA in Kumasi. MRSA was diagnosed using lμg oxacillin discs and 10 unit penicillin, on a total of 250 clinical isolates of S. aureus. Susceptibility of MRSA isolates to penicillin, ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, flucloxacillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamicin and cefuroxime were determined using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The MIC of 50 MRSA isolates was determined using E-test (AB-Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). The study determined a prevalence rate of 34.8%, (hospital acquired (HA) MRSA was 26.8% (67), and community acquired (CA) was 8%, though not statistically significant), compared with the rate of 12.1% reported in 2004. Penicillin, ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, gentamicin and flucloxacillin showed resistance rates ranging from 50-100% but cefuroxime and erythromycin, showed resistance of below 50%. The MIC of 50 isolates tested was as follows: oxacillin; 4 - ≥256μg/ml, gentamicin; 0.125 - ≥ 256μg/ml, trimethoprim sulfamethoxa.zole; 0.064 - ≥32μg/ml and ceftriaxone; 1.5 -≥32μg/ml. The study showed that the problem of MRSA was urgent. To reduce the prevalence of MRSA, regular surveillance of hospital and community associated infections, monitoring of antibiotic susceptibility patterns and formulation of definitive antibiotic policy may be helpful. Several measures to help reduce the spread of Staphylococci have been discussed.