METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN HORSES AND HORSE HANDLERS IN KADUNA AND ZARIA, NIGERIA.
METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN HORSES AND HORSE HANDLERS IN KADUNA AND ZARIA, NIGERIA.
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Date
2014-09
Authors
ABDULKADIR, Aliyu
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Abstract
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of great public health concern having
become resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. They are associated with institutions such
as hospitals, but are now increasingly becoming prevalent in community-acquired infections.
The occurrence of MRSA in horses and horse handlers in Kaduna and Zaria, Nigeria was
studied. Nasal swabs from 240 horses and 65 horse handlers were collected through a one-stage
cluster sampling and analysed using standard microbiological tests and genotyping methods.
Structured questionnaires were also administered to 65 horse handlers to assess for risk factors
associated with MRSA colonisation. MRSA were found in 10% (24/240) and 6.2% (4/65) of the
nasal swab samples collected from the horses and horse handlers respectively. Of the 44 S.
aureus isolates tested for antibiotic susceptibility, 54.6% (24/44) were resistant to penicillin and
oxacillin, 47.7% (21/44) to erythromycin, 34.1% (15/44) to tetracycline, 22.7% (10/44) to
amikacin and gentamicin, 6.8% (3/44) to sulphamethoxazole+trimethoprim, 2.3% (1/44) to
ciprofloxacin, and 2.3% (1/44) were resistant to chloramphenicol. Multidrug Resistance was
found in 74.8% (21/28) of the MRSA isolates. SCCmec types I, III, and IV were found in both
the horses and the horse handlers while only one horse was found to carry SCCmec V. Risk
factors identified for the horse handlers included being a Veterinarian, recent exposure to
antimicrobial agents, hospital visitation, and personal hygiene. Risk factors for the horses from
this study were allergy and wound management. MRSA-carriage by horses and horse handlers
alike as well as MDR (multidrug resistant) strains of S. aureus have been established from this
study, which is of public health concern.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN VETERINARY
PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE
MEDICINE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
September, 2014
Keywords
METHICILLIN,, STAPHYLOCOCCUS,, AUREUS,, HANDLERS