High-level mupirocin resistance among Spanish methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Twelve strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with high-level resistance to mupirocin were studied. The MIC of methicillin was 16 to 128 mg/l and the MIC of mupirocin > or = 512 mg/l. All of the isolates carried a plasmid of about 30 MDa, and one strain lost resistance to mupirocin when the plasmid was cured. Three different resistance patterns were found: six strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin, kanamycin, and 10 mg/l of cadmium sulfate; two strains were resistant to these agents as well as to gentamicin, erythromycin, clindamycin, mercury chloride, and ethidium bromide; and four strains were resistant to the previously named agents as well as to rifampicin and tetracycline. The use of this valuable topical antibiotic, especially in long-term-care facilities, should be monitored to avoid dissemination of resistance.
Alarcón
T
T
Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain. microbiologia@hup.es
Sanz
J C
JC
Blanco
F
F
Domingo
D
D
López-Brea
M
M
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016712:Mupirocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016712:Mupirocin