Nasal Colonization and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus Species among Children in Lahore, Pakistan

Introduction: Staphylococcus is a genus of pathogenic bacteria, which asymptomatically colonizes the upper respiratory tract of the human. The incidence of invasive Staphylococcal infections and the disease burden are high among children in South Asia, including Pakistan. This study aims to determine the nasal colonization and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus species isolated from preschool children in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A community-based study was conducted in two camps named Shah Di Khui and Jeevan Haana in Lahore city. A total of 100 nasal samples, were collected from preschool children from lower-middle-class families during January to March 2018. Species identification was performed using the coagulase test, catalase test, and Gram staining. Also, a 370 bp fragment of the tuf gene was targetted using specific primers for the genus Staphylococcus. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was defined by an antibiotic susceptibility test using a series of antibiotic discs. Results: The results of this study indicated the presence of Staphylococcus species, mainly Staphylococcus aureus in more than 85% of the children. PCR amplification of tuf gene confirmed the identity of the S. aureus isolates from the nasal cultures. Many showed resistance resistant to more than two broad-spectrum antibiotics. Conclusion: The prevalence of nasal colonization of S. aureus was more than 85% among preschool children. Most of the isolates were resistant to β-lactam antibiotics.