[Antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance patterns of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients and carriers in Valdivia city, Chile].

UNLABELLED

In vitro susceptibility of nosocomial and community acquired strains of Staphylococcus aureus must be periodically evaluated because of its continuous evolution.

AIM

To know the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus isolated in Valdivia, to determine the prevalence of methicillin resistance and global patterns of resistance and to compare the evolution of the susceptibility along the years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 278 S. aureus strains were evaluated: 136 obtained from hospitalized patients, 50 belonged to outpatients and 92 to healthy carriers. Antimicrobial agents tested were: penicillin, oxacillin, vancomycin, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, lincomycin and erythromycin.

RESULTS

Thirty three, 28 and 1.1% of strains isolated from hospitalized, outpatients and carriers, respectively, were methicillin-resistant. Six resistance patterns were found. No vancomycin resistant strain was isolated.

COMMENT

It is worrisome that 2% of S. aureus strains obtained from hospitalized patients showed intermediate resistance to vancomycin.