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Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim

Insights

Most Staphylococcus aureus hospital isolates showed resistance to sulphamethoxazole (18.5%) and a smaller proportion to trimethoprim (1.6%). Trimethoprim-resistant strains also exhibited resistance to sulphamethoxazole and other antibiotics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Hospital-acquired infections pose significant challenges.
  • Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of nosocomial infections.
  • Antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus necessitates ongoing surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim resistance in Staphylococcus aureus strains from hospital patients.
  • To characterize the resistance patterns of trimethoprim-resistant strains.

Main Methods:

  • Survey of 675 Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from patient lesions.
  • Testing for resistance to sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
  • Phenotypic characterization of trimethoprim-resistant strains, including resistance to other antimicrobials and phage-typing.

Main Results:

  • 18.5% of strains were resistant to sulphamethoxazole; 1.6% were resistant to trimethoprim.
  • All trimethoprim-resistant strains were also resistant to sulphamethoxazole and a sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim combination.
  • Trimethoprim-resistant strains showed higher average resistance to sulphamethoxazole and resistance to multiple other antimicrobial agents.
  • A majority of trimethoprim-resistant strains belonged to phage-typing patterns 84/85, 84, or 85.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of hospital-associated Staphylococcus aureus strains exhibit resistance to sulphamethoxazole.
  • Trimethoprim resistance in S. aureus is less common but is associated with multi-drug resistance and specific phage types.
  • These findings highlight the need for monitoring antimicrobial resistance trends in hospital settings.

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