Nasal Colonization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among Nurses at a Sri Lankan Hospital

Aim: Study determined the nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and associated factors among a cohort of nurses in a Sri Lankan Hospital.

Study Design: A hospital based, cross-sectional study was conducted including nurses attached to different wards at a Sri Lankan hospital, located in the capital of the country.

Place and Duration of the Study: University Hospital Kotelawala Defence University (UHKDU), from October 2022 to January 2023

Methodology: After obtaining written informed consent, a total of 80 nurses were included in the study. Relevant socio-demographics and behavioral data were collected using a self-administered pre-tested questionnaire. Nasal swabs were collected and processed to identify MRSA according to laboratory protocols and Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Associations between categorical variables were assessed by chi-square test using SPSS version 25 software.

Results: Majority of the participants were females (73.8%) and the mean age was 31.93 ± 8.99 years. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. were 41 (50.62%) while 14 (17.28%) were Staphylococcus aureus out of which, seven were MRSA with a colonization rate of 8.6%. None of the demographics or behavioral factors showed a statistically significant association (p > 0.05) with the presence of MRSA nasal colonization.

Conclusion: This is the first-time screening of nurses at this hospital for MRSA colonization. These findings can be used as a baseline for future studies to minimize further transmission of MRSA colonizers and to strengthen the infection control measures. In addition, antibiotic stewardship programs can be implemented towards early identification of MRSA positive cases. Lack of statistically significant associations between considered factors raises the requirement of additional investigations with larger sample size for comprehensive understanding.

The study findings help to identify the trends of MRSA colonization among nurses as they can be treated and prevent further spread to the community, health care workers and immunocompromised critical patients.