2021, Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part I

Materials and Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Oxford Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, over a period of 12 months (January 2020 to December 2020). A total of 100 patients with clinically diagnosed purulent skin infections were enrolled. Specimens were processed for microbiological culture, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and molecular confirmation of MRSA through detection of the mecA gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). SCCmec typing and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene detection were performed for all MRSA isolates. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: Among the 100 patients, the majority were males (58%), with the 31-50 years’ age group most commonly affected (42%). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 78% of cases, of which 56.4% were MRSA and 43.6% were MSSA. SCCmec type IV was the most common among MRSA isolates (59.1%), followed by type II (31.8%) and type V (9.1%). 63.6% had PVL genes. High antibiotic susceptibility rates were observed for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (86.4%), clindamycin (81.8%), and doxycycline (77.3%).

Conclusion: The study highlights a increased burden of MRSA among SSTI’s, with a predominance of community-associated molecular characteristics and significant PVL positivity. The findings emphasize the need for ongoing molecular surveillance and rational antimicrobial use to contain transmission of virulent MRSA variants.