Burn wound infections: a serious threat of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Aim: To determine the frequency and drug susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in burn wound infections and to reportempirical treatment options. Methods:The bacterial pathogens isolated from 140 patients of burn wounds were identified by the conventional microbiological techniques, API Staph (bioMerieux) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines used for the in vitro antimicrobial drug resistance. Results: Total of 190bacterial strains were isolated from 132 culture positive burn wound swabs out of which 56were Staphylococcus aureus. Amongst theS. aureus, 24 (43%) were methicillin-resistant, and 32(57%)were methicillin-sensitive. No statistical associations of MRSA infectionswere observed with age, gender, aetiology, and degree of burn (p >0.05). Isolated MRSA showed antimicrobial resistance against clindamycin (p <0.01) erythromycin (p <0.01), levofloxacin (p=0.03) and moxifloxacin (p=0.01). S. aureus showed antimicrobial resistance predominantly against clindamycin (68%) followed by erythromycin (56%), cefoxitin(43%), levofloxacin (36%), moxifloxacin (16%), and vancomycin (4%). Conclusion: The isolation of a high number of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcal strains among the burn patients is worrisome which leave us with the limited treatment options.