Persistence of resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis after single course of clarithromycin.
We examined how a common therapy that includes clarithromycin affects normally colonizing Staphylococcus epidermidis. Samples from the nostrils of 5 patients receiving therapy were collected before, immediately after, 1 year after, and 4 years after treatment. From each patient and sample, S. epidermidis strains were isolated and analyzed for clarithromycin susceptibility and presence of the erm(C) gene. We show that macrolide-resistant strains of S. epidermidis were selected during therapy and that the same resistant strain may persist for 4 years, in the absence of further antimicrobial treatment.
Sjölund
Maria
M
University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Tano
Eva
E
Blaser
Martin J
MJ
Andersson
Dan I
DI
Engstrand
Lars
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017291:Clarithromycin