Identification and antibiotic susceptibility profile of methicillin and erythromycin resistant genes in clinical and environmental strains of Staphylococcus aureus in Minna Nigeria

Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin (MRSA) is a growing global health threat. The disc diffusion method was used to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus. From clinical and environmental samples, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 21.9% (73/360) of the cases. Staphylococcus aureus predominance in environmental samples was 24%, compared to 20.5 in clinical samples. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was highest among people aged 18 to 49 (74%) and lowest among those aged 0 to 17 (42%) and 50 to 70 (4%). Staphylococcus aureus was more common in females (22.4%), compared to males (20%). Staphylococcus aureus showed 88.60%, 45.60%, 34.20%, 21.50%, 18.90%, 11.40%, 8.90%, 6.30%, and 5.10%, respectively, resistance to Oxacillin, Cefoxitin, Ampicillin, Vancomycin, Erythromycin, Norfloxacin, Rifampicin, and Gentamycin. All 79 of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were 100% responsive to septrin and levofloxacin. The isolates were used to molecularly identify the genes for methicillin (mecA) and erythromycin (ermA and ermC). The clinical and environmental samples revealed a comparatively high frequency of Staphylococcus aureus.