Understanding the burden and impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: exploring therapeutic options and hospital prevention strategies to improve patient outcome at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda.

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains a significant global public health challenge, particularly as a leading cause of nosocomial infections in intensive care units (ICUs). While MRSA prevalence is well documented in many settings, its burden at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Rwanda, remains unclear.

AIM: To evaluate the burden and impact of MRSA, exploring therapeutic options and hospital prevention strategies to improve patient outcomes.

METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at CHUK from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025 at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, in Rwanda. All patients with clinical samples positive for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were included. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates were analyzed, and patient clinical records were reviewed.

RESULTS

During the study period, 272 S. aureus isolates were analyzed, of which 117 (43%) were MRSA. The isolates were highly resistant against commonly used antibiotics, including ampicillin (92.7%), erythromycin (49.3%), ciprofloxacin (42.3%), and tetracycline (48.5%). However, they demonstrated high sensitivity to vancomycin, linezolid, teicoplanin, amikacin, daptomycin, and rifampicin.

CONCLUSION

Staphylococcus aureus infections are common at CHUK, with a high prevalence of MRSA (43%). Effective therapeutic options remain available, but the high resistance to commonly used antibiotics underscores the need for strengthened infection prevention measures and antimicrobial stewardship to improve patient outcomes, especially in critical care services.