Ebubechi Uloma Okey-Kalu, Ikechukwu Okoli , Emmanuel Onwubiko Nwankwo ,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (Mar-Apr 2026)
Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a public health issue. The purpose of this study was to detect MRSA among S. aureus isolates and to detect the presence of the mecA gene among selected MRSA isolates.
Methods: A total of 206 S. aureus isolates identified after the necessary biochemical tests were tested for methicillin resistance using the cefoxitin disk diffusion method. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates. Some MRSA isolates were tested for the presence of the mecA gene.
Results: A total of 122 S. aureus isolates were recovered from inanimate surfaces, with footwear showing the highest contamination rate (39.34%, n = 48), while 84 S. aureus isolates were obtained from the palms of the hands and nostrils of healthcare workers, with the nostrils harboring the highest proportion (83.33%, n = 70). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out on the S. aureus isolates. The S. aureus isolates were more resistant to ampicillin, erythromycin, cotrimoxazole, and gentamicin. A total of 206 S. aureus isolates were tested for MRSA using cefoxitin disk diffusion, and 43.69% (n = 90) were methicillin-resistant. A total of 20 S. aureus isolates suspected to be MRSA were tested for the mecA gene, and only 4 isolates (20% of the total isolates tested by polymerase chain reaction) were positive for the mecA gene.
Conclusion: The presence of MRSA in the two tertiary hospitals poses a risk to healthcare and community environments by contaminating healthcare workers, patients, visitors, and surrounding surfaces.
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