Antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Abia State of Nigeria

Abstract

A total of 70 ear and nasal swab samples collected from 35 persons, 16-hospital population and 19 non
hospital population was examined for presence of Staphylococcus aureus. Eighty percent of the 
population studied were found to be carriers of S. aureus. Of the 28 positive cases, 35.7% were carriers 
of S. aureus in both the ear and nostrils, while 14.3% and 50.0% had it only in their ear and nostrils, 
respectively. The S. aureus isolates varied in their antibiotic susceptibility pattern when tested for their 
sensitivity to 16 antibiotics. Eighty percent of the isolates were resistant to more than one antimicrobial 
agent. All the isolates showed resistance to nalidixic acid and 100% sensitivity to rifampicin.