ISSN 2384-5066
Abstract
Accepted 23rd October, 2017.
Staphylococcus aureus infections in their community form, is an important public health problem. Carrier screening for S. aureus especially those resistant to methicillin (MRSA) is an important factor in the control and spread of S.aureus infection. However, the extent of this carriage remains unknown in Bukavu. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and determinants of nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA. An analytical cross-sectional study community-based was carried out in Bukavu from October 2015 to February 2016. A sampling nasal swab was performed for all persons included in the study. Cultures and identification of S. aureus were made by conventional methods. Any resistance to cefoxitin 30ug was regarded as the expression of the mecA gene (methicillin resistance). Samples of 312 persons enrolled in this study have been subjected to culture and research of the expression of mecA gene. 45 isolates were identified as S. aureus, giving a carriage prevalence of 14,4% [IC 95%: 10.52-18.32%], the median age was 24 years (1-71 years); the nasal carriage prevalence of MRSA was 5,1% [IC 95%: 2.68-7.58%] (16/312). The carriage of S. aureus and MRSA was independent of age, gender, origin, profession, concept of diabetes, chronic wound and even level of study (p> 0.05). This study shows a high prevalence of nasal carriage of MRSA in the community of Bukavu, other risk factors should be sought later to understand this phenomenon.
Keywords: Bukavu, determinants, MRSA, nasal carriage, Staphylococcus aureus