Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in people living with HIV and healthy people in Kathmandu, Nepal

Samjhana Kapali; Anil Pokhrel; Anup Bastola; Reshma Tuladhar; Dev Raj Joshi

doi:10.2144/fsoa-2021-0103

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in people living with HIV and healthy people in Kathmandu, Nepal

Future Sci OA. 2021 Nov 26;8(2):FSO769. doi: 10.2144/fsoa-2021-0103. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Authors

Samjhana Kapali¹, Anil Pokhrel¹, Anup Bastola², Reshma Tuladhar¹, Dev Raj Joshi¹

Affiliations

¹ Central Department of Microbiology, Institute of Science & Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, 44613, Nepal.
² Department of Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Infections, Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Disease Hospital, Kathmandu, 44600, Nepal.

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to compare methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and healthy people from Kathmandu.

Methods: MRSA isolated from 400 nasal swabs was screened using a cefoxitin disc and confirmed by the presence of the mecA gene.

Results: MRSA nasal carriers among the PLHIV and control cohorts were 3.5% (7 out of 200) and 5.0% (10 out of 200), respectively. All the MRSA from PLHIV and most of MRSA from healthy controls were PVL positive. Longer duration of antiretroviral therapy significantly reduces the risk of MRSA nasal colonization in PLHIV.

Conclusion: There is no significant difference in MRSA nasal colonization in PLHIV and healthy controls in this study region.

Keywords: MRSA; PLHIV; PVL; Staphylococcus aureus; mecA; multi-drug resistance.