Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common cause of nosocomial infections.
• Understanding its antibiotic susceptibility is crucial for effective treatment.
• Variations in resistance patterns between clinical isolates and healthy controls are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus epidermidis.
• To compare resistance profiles between isolates from clinical specimens and healthy controls.
• To identify potential last-line treatment options.

Main Methods:

• Disk diffusion method used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Isolates obtained from clinical specimens and healthy individuals.
• Testing followed Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines.

Main Results:

• Significant multidrug resistance observed in clinical S. epidermidis isolates against common antibiotics like penicillin (94%) and oxacillin (56%).
• Isolates from healthy controls showed high susceptibility, except for penicillin resistance (10%).
• No resistance to rifampicin and vancomycin was found in any S. epidermidis isolates.

Conclusions:

• Clinical isolates of S. epidermidis exhibit substantial multidrug resistance.
• A significant difference exists in antibiotic resistance between clinical and control isolates.
• Rifampicin and vancomycin are promising last-line agents for treating S. epidermidis infections.