Prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pyogenic community and hospital acquired skin and soft tissues infections

Abstract

Objective: To determine the percentage and frequency of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community and hospital-acquired pyogenic skin and soft tissue infections.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dermatology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, from June 2009 to March 2010, and comprised 144 community-acquired and 54 hospital-acquired skin and soft tissue infections. Pus swabs from the infected lesions one from each individual were sent to laboratory for culture and sensitivity tests. Methicillin resistance was detected by 1 microg oxacillin disk. Organisms were labelled methicillin-resistant once the inhibition zone for oxocillin was less than 10 mm. Data analysis was done by using SPSS 20.

Results: Of the 198 patients in the study, 98 (49.5%) were males and 100 (50.5%) were females, with an overall mean age of 33.7 +/- 14.81 44 years. There were 144 (72.72%) community-acquired infections and 54 (27.27%) had hospital-acquired infections. Community-acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus numbered 40 (27.8%) and hospital-acquired ones numbered 26 (48.1%).

Conclusion: Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community and hospital-acquired pyogenic skin and soft tissue infections was high.