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Diversity of staphylococci exhibiting high-level resistance to mupirocin

M Rahman1, S Connolly, W C Noble

  • 1Institute of Dermatology, United Medical School, St. Thomas Hospital, London.

Journal of Medical Microbiology
|October 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

High-level mupirocin resistance in staphylococci is often mediated by specific plasmids. Six common plasmids found in Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis strains were indistinguishable, highlighting their widespread nature.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Mupirocin is a crucial antibiotic for treating Staphylococcus infections.
  • High-level mupirocin resistance (HLMR) in staphylococci poses a significant clinical challenge.
  • Plasmids are known to carry genes conferring antibiotic resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize plasmids responsible for high-level mupirocin resistance in staphylococci.
  • To investigate the diversity and relatedness of these resistance plasmids.
  • To understand the spread of mupirocin resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of staphylococcal strains from various sources.
  • Determination of mupirocin Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs).
  • Restriction endonuclease digestion of plasmid DNA to analyze patterns.

Main Results:

  • Plasmids mediating HLMR (MIC > 1000 mg/L) were identified.
  • Multiple restriction patterns were observed among the studied plasmids.
  • Six specific plasmids from different Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis strains were found to be indistinguishable.

Conclusions:

  • A common set of plasmids likely contributes to the spread of high-level mupirocin resistance in staphylococci.
  • The indistinguishable nature of these plasmids suggests efficient dissemination mechanisms.
  • Further research is needed to understand the epidemiology and control of mupirocin-resistant staphylococci.

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