Antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from hospital and community sources in southern Jamaica.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we assessed the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and prevalence of methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus isolates from hospital and community sources in southern Jamaica.

METHODS: Eighty isolates of S. aureus obtained from hospital and community-based patients with staphylococcal infections were collected, and antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by disk diffusion.

RESULTS: While all specimens yielded isolates, multidrug-resistant isolates were obtained only from urine, high vaginal swab, abscess aspirate, and catheter tip samples. The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 23%. The proportions of MRSA isolated from hospital sources (18/39) and community sources were 46% and 0%, respectively (p<0.05). The pattern of antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus differed significantly between MRSA and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) isolates. For MRSA isolates, multiple-drug resistance was common and only few antibiotics were active against these isolates. However, no MRSA was resistant to vancomycin. Except for penicillin and to some extent co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), most MSSA isolates were susceptible to nearly all antimicrobial agents used in this study.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of MRSA from this region of Jamaica. Because methicillin resistance is associated with multiple-drug resistance in S. aureus, it is imperative that surveillance initiatives be focused on both the hospital and community in order to monitor and limit the spread of this organism.