Production of A and C variants of staphylococcal beta-lactamase by methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
Most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains produce beta-lactamase. To determine whether this enzyme(s) is identical to one or more of the four beta-lactamases produced by methicillin-susceptible strains, the beta-lactamases of 50 MRSA isolates were typed by using substrate profile analysis. Forty type A, no type B, ten type C, and no type D beta-lactamase-producing strains were identified. The beta-lactamase inhibitor sulbactam reduced the MICs of beta-lactamase-labile antibiotics, including ampicillin, penicillin G, and cefazolin, for type A and type C MRSA strains.
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
S R
SR
Norris
C W
CW
Stratton
D S
DS
Kernodle
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001618:beta-Lactamases