Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among the critical care personnel in a tertiary care hospital in Sikkim: An observational study.

Background & objectives Persistent nasal colonisation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among healthcare personnel (HCP) remains a significant challenge. MRSA carriers are crucial to the spread of the infection, with healthcare professionals often acting as vectors for both hospital- and community-acquired MRSA. This study aimed to evaluate the MRSA carriage rate among healthcare professionals from critical care units at a tertiary care hospital in Gangtok, Sikkim. Furthermore, the study undertook to analyse antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated MSSA and MRSA strains, and identify associated risk factors for MRSA infection. Methods Three hundred samples from healthcare workers (HCW) posted in the critical care units of a tertiary care hospital were cultured and identified by routine biochemical methods. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method for all MRSA and MSSA isolates. Association with various risk factors was understood by the Chi square test. Results Nineteen of the 300 participants were identified as nasal MRSA carriers having an overall carriage rate of 6.33 per cent in this study. The prevalence of MRSA was seen to be the highest among the attendants (9.52%), and the highest carriers were from the surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICUs). All the MRSA and MSSA isolates showed 100 per cent resistance to penicillin and 100 per cent susceptibility to linezolid. A significant correlation among hand hygiene practices and patient contact was reported from this study. Interpretation & conclusions Despite existing infection control policies, the MRSA carriage seen in HCWs in critical care units was 6.33 per cent, highlighting the need for regular systematic screening and decolonisation of all healthcare professionals to decrease the carrier status and prevent the spread of infection.