Impact the Antibiotic Resistance for Staphylococcus aureus in Hospitalized Cancer Patients in Erbil Governate, Iraq

Background: Infection is a continuous problem in cancer patient especially in developing countries. Multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is among the most frequent complication in immunocompromised cancer patients and poses the greatest risk to immunocompromised cancer patients.

Objectives: Our study aimed to carry out a study on isolated Staphylococcus aureus from various clinical samples among cancer patients in Erbil city and analyze its epidemiology and antibiotics susceptibility pattern tests and multi-drug resistance.

Materials and Methods: A total of 865 from 2016 until 2020 were isolated Staphylococcus aureus from 6 clinical samples (Urine, Sputum, Wound swab, Nasal swab, Bloodand, Stool) from patient attending Nanakaly Hospital and from both males and females. Only 100 cases had been identified as isolates of S. aureus which was identified by using macroscopical, microscopical, biochemical tests and Vitek 2 compact system. Also antibiotic susceptibility test were performed by Vitek 2 compact on 19 antibiotics.

Results: Only 100 S. aureus isolates were isolated from 865 samples distributed according to their source of isolation in the cancer patient, urinary tract infection is the most our specimen followed by wound infection, respiratory tract infection, blood infection and gastrointestinal infection. Breast cancer is the most common in our study followed by Colon cancer and Multiple myeloma, with the percentage of females infected with S. aureus more than the males, with females being 74/865(8.5%) and males being 28/865(3.2%), after 2016 infections by S. aureus was increased in young and middle-aged people being 52/100(52%) in total, from 2016-2020 S. aureus infected patients with breast cancer was 47/100(47%), colon was 27/100(27%) and multiple myeloma was 26/100(26%). Although (Aztreoman, Ertapenem, Ticarcillin-clavulanic acid) can be considered effective for MDR strains for empirical antibiotic therapy in cancer patients. S. aureus isolates had resistance to more than six antibiotics.

Conclusions: The study findings showed a significant distribution of MDR S. aureus which may increase the burden of healthcare-associated infections in cancer patients. Moreover, mechanisms of resistance should also be investigated for better characterization of the multi-drug resistance of S. aureus isolates.