PREVALENCE OF NASAL CARRIAGE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF OTORINOLARYNGOLOGY AND DENTISTRY IN KYIV, UKRAINE

Abstract

The aim: To obtain the first estimates of the current prevalence of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the departments of Otorinolaryngology and Dentistry and to determine of genes virulence factors (Panton Valentine Leukocidine (PVL) genes). Materials and methods: We performed a multicenter cross-sectional study. The susceptibility to antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion method according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. The virulence factor encoding genes, mecA, lukS-lukF, were detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results: Incidence rate of S. aureus nasal carriage among HCWs was 36.2%, whereas MRSA carriage was 17%. Prevalence of MRSA carriage rate was 34.9% in Otorhinolaryngology departments and 9.7% in Dentistry. PCR testing confirmed that all MRSA strains were mecA gene-positive. The virulence factor encoding genes were detected in 82.3% of the S. aureus isolates from HCWs. Among S.aureus, the lukS-lukF genes were detected in over 59% of the strains. The lukS-lukF genes were detected in 55.5% of MRSA and in 58.9% of MSSA strains. LukS-lukF genes were most commonly co-present in MRSA strains. No significant difference was detected between the occurrences of lukS-lukF genes (P>0.05). Conclusions: Personnell in otorhinolaryngology and dentistry departments have a high rate of nasal colonization of MRSA. This carrier state may be an important risk factor for transmission MRSA from physicians and nurses to patients and vice-versa. Screening for MRSA nasal carriage of HCWs is a key element in enabling infection control measures and early therapeutic decisions.