The Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Kabul, Afghanistan and detection of mecA gene in isolates: MRSA in Kabul, Afghanistan

MRSA in Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a non-sporulating gram-positive cocci which belongs to family Staphylococcaceae. It grows in grapelike structures when observed under microscope. S. aureus is the causative agent of various infections both in hospital and community settings. The pathogen offers a great public health threat due to its wide range of infections and its multi-drug resistance. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus is one of its most violent forms which show resistance to methicillin along with other beta lactam drugs. Methicillin resistant gene known as mecA gene expresses penicillin binding protein which makes the bacteria resistant against penicillin, methicillin, cefoxitin and many more antibiotics. In the present study, S. aureus isolates were collected followed by frequency determination of MRSA phenotypically using biochemical tests such as catalase, oxidase and coagulase tests. We determined MRSA by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method using cefoxitin and penicillin as standard antibiotics. The presence of mecA gene in MRSA isolates was determined by amplification of the gene by Polymerase Chain Reaction using specific primers and conditions. The results of the current study showed a high frequency of MRSA. A total of 150 isolates of S. aureus were collected and included in the study from two tertiary care hospitals and one diagnostic laboratory in Kabul city. A total of 100 out of 150 were phenotypically confirmed as MRSA. The frequency of MRSA infections was higher in females (77.33%) as compared to males (56%). The frequency of MRSA was higher in age group of elderly people of age 41 years to 75 years (79.03%) followed by age group of children from 1 year to 20 years (71.42%) and least in young adults of age group 21 years to 40 years (45.65%). Out of 100 confirmed MRSA isolates 86 isolates showed the presence of mecA gene. The study concluded that there is a high frequency of MRSA (66.6%) infection in the Kabul, Afghanistan. The aged people, children and females were more frequently infected with MRSA. The mecA gene was frequently found among most of MRSA isolates however, it is possibly associated with other genes and factors which need to be explored and studied. The study can further be extended in different ways like associating mecA genes with MSSA infections and determining the association of mecA genes with other factors associated with MRSA and multi-drug-resistant S. aureus.