Transfer of antibiotic resistance between strains of Staphylococcus aureus in mixed culture of donor and recipient cells.

A procedure for demonstrating transferability of resistance to antibiotics between strains of Staphylococcus aureus in mixed donor and recipient culture is described. The method appears suitable for use even in field laboratory conditions. The laboratory-derived S. aureus mutant 5849-fur-r, rif-r was used as the recipient and the 53 multiresistant strains of S. aureus isolated from clinical material served as donors. The transferability of antibiotics resistance was confirmed in 26.4% of strains; the transfer of tetracycline resistance occurred at highest frequencies and was found to be most intensive.