MRSA colonization in health care professionals with varying degrees of exposure to the hospital environment and its susceptibility to mupirocin in a tertiary care centre

Abstract

Background: Methicillin-resistant S.aureus (MRSA) is one of the major causes of healthcare associated infections with significant morbidity and mortality. Health care workers act as a carrier in spread of MRSA in hospitals. Use of Mupirocin to eradicate the carrier state is the need of the hour. Aim: This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of MRSA colonization among health care workers with varying degree of exposure to hospital environment and to know the susceptibility of Mupirocin to MRSA. Materials and Methods: Swabs were collected from anterior nares and finger web spaces of 100 health care workers (HCWs). The specimens were processed and colonies of S.aures were identified by standard methods. The strains of MRSA were identified by using Cefoxitin (30µg) disk on Muller Hinton agar. The MRSA isolates were then tested for Mupirocin susceptibility. Results: In the present study, 100 nasal and inter digital spaces swabs yielded 15 and 10 MRSA strains respectively. Among the 100 HCWs screened, the majority of MRSA colonization was seen in HCWs with a history of exposure to hospital environment for around 5-10 years or more. All 30 S.aureus with 15 MRSA strains isolated was sensitive to both 5µg and 200µg Mupirocin disc by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Conclusion:The high rate of Nasal MRSA carriage among health care workers is alarming. HCWs with long duration of exposure to hospital environment were more colonized with MRSA. More awareness and training sessions on the importance of MRSA and hand hygiene measures to be implemented to prevent MRSA transmission from HCWs to vulnerable patients. We suggest that MRSA screening should be performed for all HCWs and detection of susceptibility of Mupirocin will result in appropriate use of this antibiotic in decolonization.