NASAL CARRIAGE OF STAPHYLOCOCCI IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS: ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE

One year prospective study was evaluated to ascertain the prevalence of nasal carriage of potentially pathogenic bacteria in health care workers and the antibiotic susceptibility profile. The bacterial strains were identified by conventional method and the antibiotic resistance was carried out by disc diffusion method. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were 48%, 46% and 14% respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of these isolates revealed that Staphylococcus aureus were more resistant towards antibiotics than coagulase negative staphylococci. The most effective antibiotic for S. aureus was found to be vancomycin with 100% efficacy, then cephalothin 92%, ciprofloxacin 91%, amikacin 77 % and erythromycin 55%, ampicillin 11% and penicillin 3%. Coagulase negative staphylococci were 100% sensitive to vancomycin and cephalothin. Oxacillin showed 78% effectiveness; while ampicillin and penicillin, demonstrated 64% and 59% respectively. Doxycycline (93%), amikacin (93%), fusidic acid (90%) and erythromycin (92%) were effective antimicrobials.