Minimal Surveillance of MRSA in a Highly Polluted Region: A Cross-sectional Study on Prevalence in National Capital Region, India

Introduction: In India, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes both community infection as well as hospital acquired infection. The infection mostly is endemic in nature.

Aim: To find out the prevalence of MRSA in the NCR region.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional analysis in which 653 samples were screened for MRSA in the laboratory. Isolates were tested against cefoxitin using disk diffusion method from October 2022 to December 2022 in Department of Microbiology, Rama Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre Hapur, National Capital Region (NCR), India. A total of 46 isolates were found to be MRSA positive. All 46 specimens of MRSA were put to test for Antimicrobial testing to know the susceptibility of antibiotic individually. All positive specimens were segregated based on gender, type of specimen, indoor verses outdoor patients. The data of the study was analysed by Excel software on different parameters as per objectives of the study.

Results: The positive MRSA specimens were 46 (7.04%) out of 653 different category of specimens tested. More positivity (8.56%) was recorded in female patients than 5.52% in male patients. The share of male positive was 39.13% and for female, the share among positive sample was 60.87%. Among male positive samples, 7.96% samples (maximum) were from 21-40 years age. The female patients above the age of 60 years had maximum (15.78%) share of positive cases. Inpatient Department (IPD) recorded more (54.35%) of MRSA positive cases. Vancomycin showed highest susceptibility (97.82%) to MRSA. The lowest susceptibility (4.34%) was shown by erythromycin.

Conclusion: This study establishes only 7.04% MRSA which was found on lower side comparing the average ratio of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and perhaps the lowest in the country according to various studies carried out across India. Region wise epidemiological study of MRSA is required periodically. The MRSA infection can be controlled by preventing its spread and minimising the emergence of drug resistance by following a robust antimicrobial stewardship.