Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common organisms associated with both hospital acquired and community acquired infections. It causes serious skin and soft tissues diseases that are life threatening.

Vancomycin resistant S. aureus emerged in two forms; vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and vancomycin intermediate Staphylococcus aureus ( VISA).

In  June 2002  reports  of  VRSA  emerged  in  the  United  States, and  recently  threats  have  followed  in  Belgium, Germany, Brazil  and  Jordan. It is with respect to these that the project will be based on the isolation and characterization of VRSA from the tables of St Luke Health clinic New Lay Out  Buea in the South West region of Cameroon. Twenty five samples were collected between May 2015 to June 2015.

Table swabs were collected and transported to the laboratory within four hours for  processing. They were inoculated into general purpose medium for microbial load count then cultured into mannitol salt agar for isolation of S aureus. T

hey were Gram stained, subcultered on Trypsic soy agar. Further biochemical tests were conducted. They all tested gram positive cocci in clusters and retained the pink color of crystal violet except for sample 18 which tested gram positive rods suspected to be Bacilli or Corynebacterium. Biochemical tests were conducted and all were positive; coagulase and catalase. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests had zones of inhibition greater than 15mm .

This was the first attempt to isolate vancomycin resistant strains in the St Luke Health Clinic and proved negative thus vancomycin is a drug of choice for Staphylococcus aureus infections.

This is because vancomycin has greater activity against S aureus as seen from my research, so the best drug or antibiotic against any Stapylococcus aureus infection is vancomycin.

1.3 Rationale

This project will study and analyze table swabs of  the ST Luke Health Clinic New Layout located in the town of Buea in the South West region of Cameroon.

This is to create awareness in the minds of all those visiting hospitals to know that even though they seek for treatments in hospitals, they are also at high risk of getting infected in the hospital.

It is said a clean hospital, not a sterile hospital so irrespective of where the treatment comes from, with organisms like Staphylococcus aureus around hospitals, there are greater chances of getting infected.

The health attendees will also learn that being clean is not just physically to the naked eye but microscopically through sterilization.

1.4 Research Hypothesis

Null hypothesis: The tables of St Luke Health Clinic New Layout Buea contain strains of VRSA.

Alternate hypothesis: The tables of St Luke Health Clinic New Layout Buea do not contain strains of VRSA.

1.5 Objectives

The general objective will be to isolate and characterize vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus  aureus from  tables at St Luke Health Clinic New Layout Buea.

1.5.1 Specific Objectives

–           To isolate S. aureus.

–           Characterize S. aureus using biochemical tests

–           Identification of MRSA and VRSA by antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).

–           Molecular characterization of VRSA.

Read More: Microbiology Project Topics with Materials