[Occurrence of high-level mupirocin resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci in hospitals and their

Katarzyna Wiśniewska1, Ewa Michnowska-Swincow, Janusz Galiński

  • 1Zakład Mikrobiologii Lekarskiej Akademii Medycznej w Gdańsku.

Medycyna Doswiadczalna I Mikrobiologia
|March 19, 2005
PubMed

Insights

High-level mupirocin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci was found in 4.7% of strains from 5 hospitals. Most resistant strains were also methicillin-resistant, indicating a significant public health concern.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Context:

  • Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are significant opportunistic pathogens.
  • Mupirocin is a key antibiotic for treating Staphylococcal infections.
  • The emergence of antibiotic resistance in hospitals is a growing global health threat.

Purpose:

  • To determine the prevalence of high-level mupirocin resistance (HLMR) in CoNS.
  • To characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles and biotypes of mupirocin-resistant CoNS strains.
  • To assess the potential for clonal spread of resistant strains.

Summary:

  • A study investigated 192 CoNS strains from 5 hospitals in Gdansk, Poland.
  • Eight strains (4.7%) exhibited high-level mupirocin resistance, detected by disc diffusion and confirmed by E-tests.
  • All but one HLMR strain were also resistant to methicillin, and most belonged to Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Impact:

  • This study highlights the presence of HLMR CoNS in a hospital setting, posing a challenge for infection control.
  • The co-occurrence of mupirocin and methicillin resistance in these strains necessitates careful antibiotic stewardship.
  • Understanding the diversity of resistant CoNS strains is crucial for developing effective treatment and prevention strategies.

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