Microbiol Spectr. 2026 Jul 20:e0085626. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00856-26. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a major public health challenge because of its ability to acquire resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, persist in healthcare environments, and cause severe infections ranging from skin and soft tissue infections to invasive diseases such as sepsis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and surgical site infections. Despite its growing clinical significance, there is limited evidence on the long-term trends, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and burden of multidrug-resistant (MDR) MRSA in many resource-limited settings, including Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, temporal trends, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of MRSA isolates over a 5-year period at Nekemte Public Health Research and Referral Laboratory Center. Over the 5 years, 545 S. aureus were isolated, among which 67.2% were MRSA. The study revealed significant changes in the distribution of MRSA over 5 years (P < 0.001). Of the total MRSA, about 43.2% and 55.5% were isolated from patients aged ≥25 years and male patients, respectively. The majority of the isolates (85.2%) were from hospitals, with outpatient departments being the main source, accounting for 88.5%. Middle ear discharge was the main source of samples for MRSA, which accounted for 67%. Gentamicin showed the highest susceptibility (72.1%), while penicillin resistance was nearly universal (96.7%). Moreover, 93.7% of the MRSA isolates were multidrug resistant, with a high multiple antibiotic resistance index. The prevalence of MDR-MRSA varied significantly across health facilities (P < 0.001), patient location (P = 0.002), and specimen types (P < 0.001).
IMPORTANCE: To address the scarcity of antimicrobial resistance data that undermines patient care, this first multicenter study mapped methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility in western Ethiopia. The findings guide empiric therapy, establish a stewardship baseline, and contribute to global surveillance. The widespread multidrug resistance and high resistance indices reflect strong antimicrobial pressure and misuse, underscoring the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance, and infection control.
PMID:42474174 | DOI:10.1128/spectrum.00856-26