METHICILLIN-RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus AND MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT Escherichia coli IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA: A CROSS –SECTION STUDY

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli (MDRE) continuously pose a threat to global health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, such as Nigeria. Therefore, given the dearth of locally-generated evidence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of MRSA and MDRE with a view to informing local public health research, practice and policy. This was a cross-sectional study of outpatients presenting to three purposively selected healthcare facilities in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Standard microbiological procedures were performed using nasal swabs and urine specimens. The outcome variables were the identification of MRSA and MDRE, defined as the proportion of persons diagnosed as carrying Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli, respectively, with these resistant bacterial strains. Descriptive analysis using frequencies and percentages by participant’s characteristics was presented. Two hundred and thirty-three persons participated in this study between January 2021 and July 2021, majority of whom were females (67%) and aged 18-24 (45%). Growth of S. aureus was detected in 55.1% (91) of 165 participants who provided nasal swabs. Of these 91 participants, 91.2% (83/91) were confirmed as carrying MRSA. Additionally, 51.7% (i.e., 89) of the 172 participants who provided urine for culture were positive for E. coli growth, of which 92.1% (82/89) were identified as carrying MDRE. This study recorded a high prevalence of both MRSA and MDRE in the study setting, underlining the need for an urgent preventive public health measure, such as awareness and antimicrobial stewardship promotion.