Multidrug Resistance of Isolates of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (mrsa) in Paper Currency Notes from Restaurants and Hotels in Lusaka in Zambia

Objective: Isolation and determine antibiotic sensitivity test for coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus isolates from restaurants and fast food serving hotels from Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: A total of 205 Paper currency notes of Zambia Kwacha (50,100,500,1000,5000,10,000,20,000 and 50,000)were randomly collected from market place and swab samples were analyzed in microbiology lab for S.aureus bacterial contamination and antibiotic sensitivity test and by conducting catalase and coagulase tests; hemolysis, sugar fermentation, and other biochemical tests, including tests for indole production, citrate utilization (for glucose, sucrose, and lactose fermentation); gas and hydrogen sulfide production tests; and oxidase tests. Gram positive cocci bacteria were inoculated on blood agar and MacConkey agar. Coagulase test was conducted to know coagulase positive S.aureus. Antibiotic sensitivity test was conducted for S.aureus isolates. Result: 53(25.85%) S.aureus isolated from 205 paper currency notes and 6(2.92%) of Vancomycin resistance was found. All Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) isolates showed multidrug resistance. S.aureus isolates resistant resistant to Penicillin. Isolates resistant to Vancomycin were also resistant to Methicillin. All isolates were sensitive to Lenozoid antibiotic. The incidence of S.aureus is more in lower denomination paper currency notes than higher denominations. Currency notes may be the reservoir of infection in society.