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Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

Epidemiology of resistance among gram-positive bacteria: with special reference to staphylococcal infections

V T Rosdahl1

  • 1Staphylococcus Laboratory, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|February 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Danish Staphylococcus aureus strains evolved from penicillin and streptomycin resistance to multiple resistance, now primarily showing penicillin resistance. This shift is linked to specific bacterial clones and phage types over three decades.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is a significant public health concern.
  • Tracking resistance patterns is crucial for understanding bacterial evolution and guiding treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the evolution of antibiotic resistance patterns in Danish Staphylococcus aureus strains over a 27-30 year period.
  • To identify the role of specific bacterial clones and phage types in these resistance changes.
  • To compare resistance patterns between hospital-acquired and community-acquired strains.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 486,412 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated and phage-typed between 1960 and 1986.
  • Further examination of 12,852 strains isolated from blood cultures.
  • Correlation of phage patterns with antibiotic resistance profiles.

Main Results:

  • Staphylococcus aureus resistance patterns in Denmark shifted from penicillin and streptomycin resistance to multiple resistance, and currently to penicillin resistance only.
  • Specific clones, including the 52, 52A, 80, 81 complex, the 83A complex, and the 94, 96 complex (type 95), were associated with these resistance changes.
  • Within established complexes, resistance patterns also evolved, with strains becoming predominantly penicillin-resistant or fully susceptible.
  • Hospital-acquired and community-acquired strains showed identical phage and antibiotic resistance patterns in the study period.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial clone replacement and evolution within clones are key drivers of changing antibiotic resistance patterns in Staphylococcus aureus.
  • The Danish epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus has seen a significant shift in resistance profiles over three decades.
  • The distinction between hospital- and community-acquired strains regarding resistance has diminished in Denmark.

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