title: High frequency of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Peshawar Region of Pakistan.
abstract: Staphylococcus aureus is an increasing problem in clinical practice because of reduced susceptibility to available antibiotics. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in Peshawar, Pakistan. Clinical isolates of S. aureus were subjected to determination of antibiotic resistance, MICs and inducible clindamycin resistance (ICR). Out of total 280 S. aureus isolates, the frequency of MRSA was 36.1 % (n = 101). MRSA infection was found higher among the age group 50-59 years (60.71 %, OR 3.09), followed by 20-29 years (47.5 %, OR 1.74). Frequency of MRSA in female and male was 39.8 and 34 % respectively. MRSA was more frequent in blood specimens (48.7 %, OR 2.14). The frequency of community and hospital acquired MRSA was 42 and 34.8 % respectively. MRSA showed high resistance (100 %) to penicillin and cefoxitin followed by erythromycin (99 %). While MRSA exhibited 100 % susceptibility to vancomycin and linezolid. We have also found 7 vancomycin intermediate sensitive S. aureus (VISA) isolates. ICR was observed in 15.84 % (n = 16) of MRSA isolates. It is concluded that MRSA is potential threat to public health in Peshawar. Vancomycin and linezolid could be prescribed as a drug of choice in treating MRSA associated infections. In addition, ICR should be routinely checked to avoid clindamycin treatment failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qasim
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Hazir
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Medical ICU Unit, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haroon
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Niaz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000 Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.
authors.forename: Noor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhammad
keywords: Drug resistance; Epidemiology; MRSA; Peshawar; S. aureus