EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN SEPTIC PATIENTS

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections. Understanding its characteristics, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and genetic diversity is crucial for effectively managing and controlling infections. This study aimed to assess the genetic and antimicrobial resistance profiles of S. aureus isolates and provide insights into their epidemiology and clinical implications. 100 samples were collected from patients in a hospital setting, and S. aureus isolates were obtained using standard microbiological procedures. The selected patients were screened at Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering & Information Technology (KFUEIT), and data were collected from the patients. Morphological characterization, including colony and cell morphology, was performed. Biochemical tests were conducted to characterize the isolates further. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the disc diffusion method. Molecular characterization was done through DNA extraction and PCR amplification of specific gene targets. The SPSS version 26 was used to evaluate and examine the data. In the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results, it was found that out of the total 89 samples tested, 42 samples (47.2%) tested positive, while 47 samples (52.7%) tested negative.  Age of patients was 53.18±8.98 years. Among patients 45(56.6%) were male, 44(49.4%) were female. The most frequent etiology was diabetes mellitus, accounting for 22.5% of the cases. Hepatic disorders were the second most common etiology, accounting for 20.2% of the cases. Among the septic patients in the study, 51.7% (46 patients) were classified as having primary sepsis, while 48.3% (43 patients) had secondary sepsis. The mean colony appearance week was calculated to be 17.98 ± 13.19 weeks. The frequency of positive results for each test was 89, representing 100% of the total samples tested. The mean MIC value was 13.04 g/Ml. This study conclude the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of S. aureus isolates and their antimicrobial resistance profiles.