Background: The potential of transmitting multidrug resistant
Staphylococcus aureus from asymptomatic individuals to healthy
individuals could constitute a great challenge to antimicrobial
therapy. Methods: The antibiograms of the S. aureus from asymptomatic
individuals were determined by disk diffusion and agar dilution assay
techniques with different antibiotics and vancomycin. Results: Of the
152 S. aureus isolated, (59)38.8% isolates were multi-drug resistant
strains. Streptomycin was the most effective and inhibited (135)88.82%
of the isolates while ceftazidime inhibited (24)15.8% of the isolates.
While (82)54.0% of the isolates inhibited by cefuroxime had resistant
colonies within their inhibition zones (Rc) and ofloxacin inhibited
(100)65.8% of the isolates without having resistant colonies within the
inhibition zones, ceftazidime inhibited (7)4.6% of the isolates with
resistant colonies within the inhibition zones. Subjecting the isolates
to vancomycin showed that (27)17.8% were resistant to 2 \u3bcg/ml,
(43)28.3% were resistant to 4 \u3bcg/ml and (27)17.8% of the isolates
were simultaneously resistant to both concentrations of vancomycin.
Although (100)65.8% of the isolates had MARindex 650.2, (52)34.2%
of the isolates had MARindex 64 0.2 and (65)428% of the isolates
were considered multidrug resistant strains. Conclusion: The isolation
of multi-drug and vancomycin intermediate resistant strains of S.
aureus in high percentage, in this study, presents a great threat to
clinicians and general populace. The vancomycin intermediate resistant
S. aureus (VISA) in asymptomatic individuals could be a critical
concern to the therapeutic dilemma to be added to the presence of
multi-drug resistance. A more sustainable therapy must be in place to
prevent its dissemination or the outbreak of its infection