[Clinical study of MRSA carrier in sputum]

We studied the clinical aspects of 25 patients (17 male, 8 female, median age 79.4 y.o.) whom MRSA was colonized in sputum from 1989 January to 1994 December. Main underlying diseases were 16 chronic bronchitis and 15 Cerebrovascular damage. Nineteen cases (76%) had catheters, for example 15 urinary tract catheters and 8 nasogastric tube. Twenty-two cases (88%) used previous antimicrobial agent. Fifteen cases (60%) were dead during previous period, and that 14 cases were dead because of respiratory failure within a year after MRSA was colonized in sputum. Nine cases (36%) were able to remove MRSA in sputum, but mortality rate was not different whether MRSA disappear or continue, MIC50 against MRSA (19 strains) were minocycline 12.5 micrograms/ml, arbekacin 6.25 micrograms/ml, vancomycin 0.78 microgram/ml and 16 cases (84.2%) were coagulase type II.