Studies have implicated Staphylococcus aureus as the leading cause of septicemia in the Tamale metropolis of Ghana. The aim of this study by Saba, et al. (2017) was to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in the environments of three hospitals in Ghana.
A total of 120 swab samples were taken from door handles, stair railings and other points of contact at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale Central Hospital and Tamale West Hospital. The swab samples were directly plated on Mannitol Salt and Baird Parker agar plates and incubated at 37 °C (± 2) for 18 to 24 hours. An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute’s guidelines. Isolates resistant to both cefoxitin and oxacillin were considered to be MRSA.
A total of 47 (39%) positive S. aureus samples were isolated from all three hospitals, of which, eight (17%) were putative MRSA isolates. One MRSA isolate was resistant to all the antibiotics used (cefoxitin, oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, ampicillin, streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim). Five of the MRSA isolates were multi-drug resistant, whilst the other three were resistant to only two antibiotics. All the multidrug-resistant MRSA isolates were resistant to at least four antibiotics. The percentage of isolates resistant to oxacillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were 17, 13, 9, 28, 89, 13 and 11% respectively.
The researchers conclude that the high multi-drug resistance of MRSA in hospital environments in Ghana reinforces the need for the effective and routine cleaning of door handles in hospitals. Further investigation is required to understand whether S. aureus from door handles could be the possible causes of nosocomial diseases in the hospitals.
Reference: Saba CKS, et al. Prevalence and pattern of antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from door handles and other points of contact in public hospitals in Ghana. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. 2017;6:44
An Infection Preventionist Considers Why Manufacturers Need to Update IFUs
July 11th 2024Katharine J. Hoffman, MPH, CIC, LSSGB: It’s time to take the devil out of the details in interpreting and successfully following manufacturers' instructions for use; why do manufacturers need to update IFUs?
Streamlining Hospital Communication: Reducing Noise and Improving Patient Care
June 27th 2024TigerConnect's secure text-based platform, led by Will O'Connor, MD, reduces noise, minimizes wait times, and improves patient care through efficient clinical workflow coordination and nurse burnout alleviation.
Overcoming Limitations in a Low-Resource Facility: Spotlight on the Navajo Nation
June 10th 2024Sage Memorial Hospital, Navajo Health Foundation in Arizona tackles health care and infection control challenges through innovative strategies and cultural sensitivity, serving the Navajo community with respect and resilience.