Antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of staphylococcus aureus at the University Hospital of the West Indies

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of staphylococcus aureus encountered at the University Hospital of the West Indies from January to December 1980 was studied. Compared to the data from 1975, there was a marked increase of penicillin resistance in out-patient strains, approximating that found in in-patient isolates (82 percent and 84 percent). Resistance to cotrimoxazole also increased (from 1 percent to 2.1 percent) while there was a decrease in the prevalence of resistance to streptomycin, trtracycline and chloramphenicol. Methicillin resistance was not found. The high prevalence of penicillin resistance in out-patients strains suggests that a penicilinase-resistant penicillin must be selected in the initial therapy of all suspected staphylococcal infections whether in or out of the hospital. The non-occurence of methicillin resistance in this institution should not lead to complacency, as sudden and epidemic outbreaks of methicillin-resistant strains have occured in hospitals in which there was no previous resistance. The epidemiological and therapeutic problems associated with methicillin-resistant strains are further discussed (AU)