Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among university students in Thailand.
We studied the prevalence of methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization among healthy young Thai adults. MSSA nasal colonization was found in 30 of 200 subjects (15%). The prevalence of MRSAnasal carriage was 1% (2 of 200) detected by cefoxitin/oxacillin disk diffusion and oxacillin salt screening methods. These carriers were associated with health care risk factors. The two MRSA isolates were mecA positive, SCCmec type II. All S. aureus isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance. Their resistance rates to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, oxacillin and cefoxitin were 96.7, 26.7, 26.7, 6.7 and 6.7%, respectively. All MSSA and MRSA isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, rifampicin, linezolid, fusidic acid, mupirocin, ciprofloxacin and vancomycin. The results of this first study of MRSA nasal colonization among healthy young Thai adults suggests MRSA is present in the Thai community.
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.
Thawatchai
T
Kitti
Kamala
K
Boonyonying
Sutthirat
S
Sitthisak
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002353:Carrier State; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents