To Study the Carriage and Antimicrobial Sensitivity Profile of MRSA among Nursing Staff of Rural Tertiary Health Care Centre of North India

Abstract

The present study is carried to determine nasal carriage of MRSA among nursing staff posted in Medicine and allied wards of a rural tertiary healthcare center in North India and antibiotic sensitivity profile of the isolated MRSA strains. Many of the carriers of MRSA harbour pathogen in areas like nares, hand surfaces, axilla and are generally asymptomatic. Colonisation in healthcare workers has increased the incidence of serious nosocomial infection wherein healthcare workers act as vectors for transmission of infection in already immuno-compromised patients. The study undertaken was a cross sectional type where in   nursing staff was analysed for nasal carriage of MRSA and antibiotic sensitivity profile of MRSA. A total of A total of 60 nursing staff members posted in medicine and allied wards were recruited in this study. A total of 34 (56.6%) were females and 26 (43.3%) were males. our study showed considerable MRSA carriage among the nurses and also reported a decreased sensitivity to commonly used drugs. Also, no resistance was detected against higher antibiotics like Vancomycin, Teicoplanin and Linezolid which points to their use in eradication of infection caused by MRSA. There is a need to strictly implement and follow the hospital infection control guidelines so as to reduce the spread of MRSA to susceptible persons.