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Lately, infections caused by antibiotic resistant microorganisms especially methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in man and animals is on the increase. This study therefore assessed the existence of MRSA in layers birds and its attendants in three (3) medium sized commercial poultry farms in Asa, Nigeria. A total number of 180 cloacal swabs were collected from egg producing layer birds from three selected farms, nasal swabs was also taking from 29 volunteered poultry attendants. They were all screened for Staphylococcus aureus using standard microbiological procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates to cefoxitin and other conventional antimicrobial sensitivity discs of some antibiotics commonly prescribed in the study area was done using the disc’s diffusion method. A total of 126 (70%) Staphylococcus aureus was detected from layers and 8 (6.3%) were MRSA. The resistance profile of the 8 MRSA isolates shows that all the isolates (100%) were resistant to cefuroxime, cefotaxime, cloxacillin and augmentin while 25%, 50%, and 75% are resistant to ofloxacin, gentamicin and erythromycin respectfully. Also 13 (44.8%) of the poultry workers carried Staphylococcus aureus in their nostrils and 5 (38.5%) carried MRSA. The antibiotic sensitivity against the 5 MRSA shows 100% resistance to cefuroxime, cefotaxime, cloxacillin and augmentin, 20% resistance to both gentamicin and erythromycin, while 100% susceptibility against ofloxacin was recorded. The detection of MRSA in both the birds and poultry attendants in the study area is of great public health importance.
Key words; Antibiotic sensitivity, LA-MRSA, Public health, Methicillin