Development of erythromycin-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus as a consequence of high erythromycin consumption.
In a mixed ward for skin and venereology patients the erythromycin consumption was 6-8 fold higher than in other wards at the same hospital. Erythromycin-resistance occurred in 15.5% of the infecting Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from this ward, compared with 3.5% in other wards of the hospital and 2.3% in Denmark as a whole. The resistant strains belonged to different phage-type patterns, but 18 out of 19 strains contained a 1.5 MDa plasmid and had an erythromycin-inducible resistance mechanism. Erythromycin resistance was frequent (approximately 10%) among Danish S. aureus strains in the years 1963 to 1969, mainly due to the spread of multiply-resistant strains of the 83A complex. During the last ten years, however, only 1-2% of the strains have been resistant, but a slow increase in resistance has taken place during the last three years among strains of all phage patterns including strains of group II, the 94, 96 complex and type 95.
Westh
H
H
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jensen
B L
BL
Rosdahl
V T
VT
Prag
J
J
D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D003718:Denmark; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010957:Plasmids; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
D004917:Erythromycin