Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among the health workers of Rizal Provincial Hospital and characterization for the presence of lukF-lukS PVL gene

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a major problem in the community as well as in the hospital setting. The resistance of MRSA to all β-lactam antibiotics, the most commonly prescribed group of antimicrobials, poses a significant limitation on the treatment of diseases caused by this multiple drug resistant strain. The study determined the prevalence of MRSA among the hands and nasal cavities of hospital employees of the Rizal Provincial Hospital, their susceptibility to other antimicrobial agents and the occurrence of mecA gene and luks-lukf Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) virulence gene among the isolates. Methicillin resistance was determined using oxacillin and cefoxitin. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the hands of 1(0.87%), from the nose of 26 (22.61%) and from both the hand and nose of 3 (2.61%) of the sampled 115 hospital health workers, giving an overall prevalence of S. aureus of 26.09%. Among the 30 health workers found to have S. aureus, 5 or 16.67% of them were found to have MRSA, with 4 health workers carrying the strain in the nasal cavity, and 1 health worker carrying the strain both on the hand and nasal cavity, giving an overall MRSA carriage rate of 4.35% among the subjects sampled. All MRSA isolates were resistant to cefoxitin. Penicillin and oxacillin resistance was seen in 5 (83.33%) of the 6 MRSA isolates. All MRSA were susceptible to doxycyclin, gentamycin, vancomycin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin and linezolid. mecA gene was found in all MRSA confirming their methicillin resistance, while the luks-lukf Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) virulence gene was present in 50% of the 6 MRSA colonies isolated. Results of the study show that MRSA was isolated and this problem has to be addressed to prevent the spread of the bacterium not only within the hospital, but in the community as well