Nasopharyngeal Carriage Rate, Risk Factors, and Co-Resistance Patterns of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

TL;DR

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 Ethiopian studies found nasopharyngeal MRSA carriage at 7.3% prevalence, with prior hospitalization and antibiotic use as key risk factors. Resistance was highest to tetracycline (55.75%) and lowest to clindamycin (12.66%).

Key findings

• Pooled nasopharyngeal MRSA carriage prevalence in Ethiopia is 7.3% (95% CI, 5.0-10.8) based on 20 studies comprising 6,869 participants
• Prior hospitalization (OR 3.49) and antibiotic use (OR 2.35) significantly increase risk of MRSA carriage
• Antimicrobial resistance patterns show highest prevalence for tetracycline (55.75%) and lowest for clindamycin (12.66%)
• Substantial heterogeneity (I² = 95.5%) and publication bias detected, indicating results should be interpreted cautiously

Why this matters at the bedside

This review quantifies MRSA carriage burden and identifies high-risk populations in Ethiopia, informing targeted infection control strategies, screening protocols, and antimicrobial stewardship programs. The resistance patterns guide empirical therapy decisions for MRSA infections in this setting.