Prevalence and Antibiotics Resistance Patterns of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Kitchen Sponge’s at Jimma Town Food Establishments, South West Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from kitchen sponges used in food establishments of Jimma town, between October, 2010 and June, 2011. A total of 201 kitchen sponge samples from 20 restaurants, 101 hotels, 47 cafeterias and 33 pastry shops were enrolled in this study. Antibiotics susceptibility patterns of S. aureus isolates were done using 12 selected antibiotics. Out of 201 samples examined 69(34.3%) kitchen sponges were found to have S. aureus. Isolation rates of S. aureus differed among the food establishment types and it ranged from 30% (restaurants) to 36.4% (hotels). Significant variation in prevalence of S. aureus among kitchen sponges of restaurants, hotels, pastry shops and cafeterias were revealed (p=0.034). Ampicillin and Streptomycin were the most resisted drugs. Norfloxacin, Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin showed maximum sensitivity. Nine (9) drug resistance patterns were detected among S. aureus isolates. There was significant variation in the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus. Kitchen sponges used in food service establishments of Jimma town recognized as potential agents in the spread of microorganisms, and the isolates showed high resistant patterns to Ampicillin and Streptomycin.