Inducible Clindamycin Resistance among Staphylococci Isolated from Burn Patients

A Zorgani1, O Shawerf, K Tawil

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, El-Fateh University for Medical Sciences.

Insights

Inducible clindamycin resistance is common in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from burn patients. Testing for this resistance using the D-test is recommended before clindamycin treatment to prevent infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Clindamycin is effective against certain Staphylococcus aureus infections, including MRSA.
  • Inducible clindamycin resistance can lead to treatment failure in these infections.
  • Staphylococcal infections are a concern in burn patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of inducible clindamycin resistance in staphylococcal isolates from burn patients.
  • To assess the utility of the D-test for detecting this resistance.
  • To guide appropriate antibiotic therapy for staphylococcal infections in this patient population.

Main Methods:

  • A total of 159 staphylococcal isolates were collected from clinical specimens of burn patients.
  • The disk-diffusion induction test (D-test) was employed to detect inducible clindamycin resistance.
  • Isolates included methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS).

Main Results:

  • Inducible clindamycin resistance was detected in 66.2% of MRSA isolates (43 out of 65).
  • No inducible resistance was found in MSSA, methicillin-resistant CoNS, or methicillin-sensitive CoNS isolates.
  • The D-test identified a significant rate of inducible clindamycin resistance in MRSA.

Conclusions:

  • Clindamycin may be a viable treatment option for staphylococcal infections if inducible resistance is absent.
  • Routine D-testing is crucial for MRSA isolates to guide effective clindamycin use.
  • This approach can help prevent treatment failures associated with inducible clindamycin resistance in burn patients.

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