MRSA Colonisation in Health Care Professionals with Varying Degrees of Exposure to the Hospital Environment

• Main Authors: Janani Vasan, Sowmya Govindanahalli Shivappa, Morubhagal Raghavendra Rao, Rashmi Padmanabha Mahale
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd. 2018-10-01
• Series: National Journal of Laboratory Medicine
• Subjects: mrsa; mr-cons; hospital environment; health care professionals; medical students
• Online Access: http://www.njlm.net/articles/PDF/2316/36866_CE[VSU]_F(SHU)_PF1(AKA_SHU)_PFA(SHU)_PN(SHU)_PF2(AV_OM).pdf
• ISSN: 2277-8551; 2455-6882

Introduction: To detect Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus colonisation in health care professionals with different levels of exposure to the hospital environment and those with no exposure to the same. Materials and Methods: Swabs were collected from the anterior nares, finger web-spaces and posterior pharyngeal wall of 100 health care professionals and 100 first year medical students. The swabs were cultured on Oxacillin resistance screen agar for 48 hours in ambient air at 35 degree Celsius. The plates were examined at 24 and 48 hours for the presence of blue coloured colonies. Results: The MRSA colonisation rate was 16% among the health care professionals and 4% among the first year medical students (p=0.005). Conclusion: More number of the heath care professionals exposed to the hospital environment were colonised with MRSA compared to those who were not exposed. It was also noted that increased exposure to the hospital environment, increased the rate of MRSA colonisation.