title: Incidence of glycopeptide hetero-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus strains in Maltese hospitals.
abstract: The incidence of hetero-intermediate glycopeptide susceptibility among Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Malta, a country with a high incidence of methicillin resistance, was studied by screening 454 non-repetitive S. aureus isolates on teicoplanin-supplemented agar plates, followed by Etests and genotypic studies. All strains were susceptible to vancomycin, but four (0.88%) exhibited teicoplanin MICs of > 12 mg/L. High methicillin-resistant S.aureus endemicity was not an accurate predictor of the emergence of non-susceptibility to glycopeptides.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Unit, St Luke's Hospital, Guardamangia, Malta. michael.a.borg@gov.mt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zerafa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuschieri
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008319:Malta / Q000453:epidemiology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017334:Teicoplanin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017334:Teicoplanin; D014640:Vancomycin