title: High prevalence of methicillin resistant staphylococci strains isolated from surgical site infections in Kinshasa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical site infections (SSIs) after surgery are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). In low income countries, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CNS) surgical site infections are particularly associated with high treatment cost and remain a source of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the sensitivity to antibiotics of MRSA and MR-CNS isolated from SSIs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wound swabs were collected from 130 hospitalized surgical patients in two major hospitals of Kinshasa. S. aureus and CNS strains were identified by standard microbiological methods and latex agglutination test (Pastorex Staph-Plus). The antibiotic susceptibility of all staphylococcal strains was carried out using disk-diffusion method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty nine staphylococcal strains were isolated. Out of 74 S. aureus and 15 CNS isolated, 47 (63.5%) and 9 (60%) were identified as MRSA and MR-CNS respectively. Among the MRSA strains, 47 strains (100%) were sensitive to imipenem, 39 strains (89%) to amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and 38 strains (81%) to vancomycin. All MR-CNS were sensitive to imipenem, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and vancomycin. The isolated MRSA and MR-CNS strains showed multidrug resistance. They were both resistant to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime and ceftazidime.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study showed a high prevalence of MRSA and MR-CNS. Imipenem, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and vancomycin were the most active antibiotics. This study suggests that antibiotic surveillance policy should become national priority as MRSA and MR-CNS were found to be multidrug resistant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie Liesse
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Iyamba
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: José Mulwahali
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wambale
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Cyprien Mbundu
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lukukula
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Ntondo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: za Balega Takaisi-Kikuni
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Kinshasa; Methicillin resistant staphylococci; antibiotic sensitivity; surgical site infections