High Rates of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization of Domesticated Swine of Kabale District – Southwestern Uganda
Baguma Andrew *
Department of Microbiology, Uganda National Health Laboratories- UNHLs (Formerly Central Public Health Laboratories – CPHL), Ministry of Health, P.O.Box 7272 Kampala, Uganda and Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology – MUST, P.O.Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda
Atek Atwiine Kagirita
School of Public Health, College of Health sciences, Makerere University, P.O.Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
Owalla Tonny
Department of Microbiology, Uganda National Health Laboratories- UNHLs (Formerly Central Public Health Laboratories – CPHL), Ministry of Health, P.O.Box 7272 Kampala, Uganda and Division of Infectious Diseases, Med Biotech Laboratories, P.O. Box 9364, Kampala, Uganda
Bazira Joel
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology – MUST, P.O.Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: S. aureus is a commensal mammalian pathogen which can establish itself as part of the skin flora. However, can eventually cause infections and invasive diseases in both hospital and community settings. Livestock-associated Methicillin-resistant S. aureus remains a major concern to public health. This study investigated the rates of methicillin resistance S. aureus (MRSA) colonization and respective antibiotic resistance profiles in domestic pigs in Kabale District - South Western Uganda.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between June 2016 and February 2017 in which nasal swabs from 585 pigs from 147 homesteads were collected and cultured using standard microbial techniques to isolate S. aureus and phenotypically screen for MRSA using Cefoxitin disc. MecA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby Bauer technique to determine antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among MRSA towards to the commonly used antibiotics in the region.
Result: From the five hundred and eighty-five (585) pigs, 172 (29.4%) were MRSA. There was high antibiotic resistance among MRSA isolates was observed against Sulfamethoxazole – trimethoprim was 170(99%), Erythromycin; 154(89%), Ciprofloxacin 124(72%), Clindamycin; 121(70), Tetracycline; 121(70%), Gentamycin; 84(49%), Rifampicin; 40(23%); Cefipime; 40(23%) and Vancomycin; 03(2%).
Conclusion: The observed high rate of MRSA colonization among domestic pigs is of a significant public health concern in Kabale region. A greater number of MRSA isolates were highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics.
Keywords: MRSA, Swine, Uganda