title: Susceptibility testing and clinical effect of fusidic acid in oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.
abstract: One hundred and six oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA) isolates collected from various clinical specimens at Mackay Memorial Hospital during the period from 1997 to 1998 were tested. The MICs of fusidic acid against ORSA isolates were in the range of 0.06 microgram/mL to 4 micrograms/mL. There was only one ORSA isolate (0.9%) resistant to fusidic acid in this study. Twenty-four patients with ORSA infection were enrolled into the study between July 1997 to June 1998. Four patients without the evidence of sepsis received oral fusidic acid only. The other 20 patients with sepsis received intravenous glycopeptide first, and then the oral fusidic acid for 7 to 10 days. Oral fusidic acid was used for mild ORSA infection and achieved satisfactory clinical outcome. In severe ORSA infection, it was found that sequential therapy with fusidic acid had relapsed in three patients. We concluded that oral fusidic acid achieved a satisfactory outcome in our patients with mild ORSA infection. In such cases, fusidic acid may provide an effective alternative treatment of choice. The rare side effect of granulocytopenia and jaundice was noted in our case series. The side effect may be not so rare as previously thought, if it had been carefully looked for.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005672:Fusidic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005672:Fusidic Acid; D010068:Oxacillin