Prevalence Of Nasal Carriage Of Staphylococcus Aureus Among School Children Of An Urban Area – A One Year Study

Abstract

University’s Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) were enrolled for the study. Children suffering from skin and soft tissue infections, consuming or have recently consumed antibiotics for any indications, and having history of hospitalization within the last 12 months were excluded from the study. Nasal swabs from anterior nares with sterile pre-moistened cotton swabs were collected and cultured for isolation and identification of S. aureus and MRSA was detected using cefoxitin disc diffusion method. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby-bauer disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines for all the S. aureus isolates. RESULTS: Out of 468 children selected, majority of the children i.e; 41.23% belonged to 9-12 years age-group and females were more i.e; 246 (52.6%) as compared to males i.e; 222 (47.4%). In the present study, the overall prevalence of nasal carriage of S aureus was found to be 30.3% and that of CA-MRSA 6.2%. The higher percentage of resistance was found against Ciprofloxacin and Erythromycin by both S. aureus and MRSA isolates. Amoxyclav, Clindamycin and Cotriamoxazole were found to be more effective. CONCLUSION: Children in Belagavi, South India have a high rate of colonization with S. auerus. Nasal colonization of CA-MRSA is comparatively higher at alarming rate among healthy children lacking traditional risk factors for MRSA infection. This study has demonstrated the baseline colonization rate and continued surveillance of this population is necessary to assess the ongoing risk CA-MRSA poses to this community. The high rate of antibiotic resistance to frequently used antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin and Erythromycin is a major concern warranting continued surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship programs to promote judicious use of antimicrobials in the hospital and ambulatory settings. Emergence of Linezolid resistance in community is the fact to be drawn attention and measures to be taken to prevent it for keeping this drug as the reserve for the future in today’s antibiotic-resistant era