Publication

Abstract : Introduction The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of Staphylococcus aureus carriers among the health care personnel in General Surgery and Orthopaedics Departments of Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and also to estimate the proportion of methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among them. Methods All the health care personnel in General Surgery and Orthopaedics Departments of Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, who were willing to take part in the study and gave consent were recruited. A semi structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Nasal swabs from both nostrils and hand impression specimens from both hands were obtained and cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar plates for detection of Staphylococcus aureus, followed by antibiotic sensitivity testing. MRSA was confirmed with Hichrome agar. Results Out of the 341 subjects, 125 (36.7%) tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus, and 10 (2.93%) tested positive for MRSA. All 10 study participants were from the surgery department. Conclusion More than one-third of the healthcare personnel were found to be carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. The prevalence of 2.93% of healthcare personnel being carriers of MRSA is a cause of concern. The causes of personnel from only one department being found to be carriers, need to be evaluated further for finding the determinants of such carrier state.