**Olufemi Emmanuel Akanbi \*, Henry Akum Njom, Justine Fri, Anthony C. Otigbu and Anna M. Clarke**

Microbial Pathogenicity and Molecular Epidemiology Research Group (MPMERG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa; hnjom@ufh.ac.za (H.A.N.); jfri@ufh.ac.za (J.F.); aotigbu@gmail.com (A.C.O.); aclarke@ufh.ac.za (A.M.C.)

**\*** Correspondence: femo.emman@gmail.com; Tel.: +27-733-302-440

Received: 20 June 2017; Accepted: 30 August 2017; Published: 1 September 2017

**Abstract:** *Background*: Resistance of *Staphylococcus aureus* to commonly used antibiotics is linked to their ability to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial-resistant determinants in nature, and the marine environment may serve as a reservoir for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study determined the antibiotic sensitivity profile of *S. aureus* isolated from selected beach water and intertidal beach sand in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. *Methods*: Two hundred and forty-nine beach sand and water samples were obtained from 10 beaches from April 2015 to April 2016. *Staphylococcus aureus* was isolated from the samples using standard microbiological methods and subjected to susceptibility testing to 15 antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant *Staphylococcus aureus* (MRSA) was detected by susceptibility to oxacillin and growth on Brilliance MRSA II agar. Antibiotic resistance genes including *mec*A, *fem*A *rpo*B, *bla*Z, *erm*B, *erm*A, *erm*C, *van*A, *van*B, *tet*K and *tet*M were screened. *Results*: Thirty isolates (12.3%) were positive for *S. aureus* by PCR with over 50% showing phenotypic resistance to methicillin. Resistance of *S. aureus* to antibiotics varied considerably with the highest resistance recorded to ampicillin and penicillin (96.7%), rifampicin and clindamycin (80%), oxacillin (73.3%) and erythromycin (70%). *S. aureus* revealed varying susceptibility to imipenem (96.7%), levofloxacin (86.7%), chloramphenicol (83.3%), cefoxitin (76.7%), ciprofloxacin (66.7%), gentamycin (63.3%), tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (56.7%), and vancomycin and doxycycline (50%). All 30 (100%) *S. aureus* isolates showed multiple antibiotic-resistant patterns (resistant to three or more antibiotics). The *mec*A, *fem*A, *rpo*B, *bla*Z, *erm*B and *tet*M genes were detected in 5 (22.7%), 16 (53.3%), 11 (45.8%), 16 (55.2%), 15 (71.4%), and 8 (72.7%) isolates respectively; *Conclusions*: Results from this study indicate that beach water and sand from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa may be potential reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant *S. aureus* which could be transmitted to exposed humans and animals.

**Keywords:** *S. aureus*; antibiotic resistance; beaches; multiple-antibiotic resistance
