DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i03.079

Pages: 1259-1263

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important causes of health care acquired infection in terms of morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay and economic burden on hospitals. Considering the paucity of data on its prevalence in West Bengal, the present study has been envisaged to assess the prevalence of MRSA among hospitalized patients. The study was conducted to assess prevalence of MRSA among hospitalized patients and to compare antibiogram of MRSA and Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).Staphylococcus aureus was identified using standard methods from various clinical samples collected over a period three months. Then, methicillin-resistant strains were identified by using screening technique i.e. cefoxitin disc (30µg) diffusion testing method. Finally, data were collected, and the prevalence was estimated.Out of the total of 1045 samples, Staphylococcus aureus was identified from 98 samples. Of the 98 samples, 67 (68.37%) were found to be methicillin resistant. MRSA strains were found to be more resistant to other antibiotics than MSSA strains.MRSA is posing threat in health-care institutions. Minimizing the emergence and spread of this organism is the need of the hour. A regular surveillance of hospital-associated infections is mandatory.