Multi-drug Resistance Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from Paediatric Ward, General Hospital, Ikot-Ekpaw, Mkpat Enin LGA, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study evaluated the Multi-drug resistance (MDR) pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from a paediatric ward and was conducted using standard clinical microbiological procedures. Location and Duration of Study: The study was carried out on infant samples collected from the Paediatric ward, General Hospital, Ikot-Ekpaw,  Mkpat Enin LGA, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria, over three (3) months period. Design of Study: Hundred swab-samples were inoculated on Mannitol salt agar. Positive growths were further biochemically confirmed for Staphylococcus aureus. Confirmed isolates were then used for MDR evaluation. Results and Interpretation: Of the 100 samples from skin, wound, ear, throat and nose swabs, 28 isolates were confirmed as S. aureus and were subjected to a range of selected commercially available antibiotics like: Amoxicillin, ampiclox, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, rifampicin and streptomycin, to evaluate their susceptibilities. The wound swabs gave the highest isolate percentage yield (32%) followed by skin swabs (29%). Susceptibility results showed that amoxicillin and ampiclox were more resisted by the isolates, while ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and norfloxacin were more effective against the isolates. The Multiple antibiotics resistance (MAR) indices showed that 85.7% of the isolates had confirmed multi-drug resistance status, with 60.7% of the isolates showing resistance to between four or more of the tested antimicrobials. MAR indices revealed that 96.4% of the isolates had 0.3, indicating that the resistance resulted from isolates that adapted to the tested drugs due to some form of abuse. Restricted use of these drugs would help curtail the high resistance currently observed amongst microorganisms.