Increasing prevalence of methicillin resistance in serious ocular infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in the United States: 2000 to 2005.
OBJECTIVE
To report the nationwide prevalence of methicillin resistance in serious ocular infections involving Staphylococcus aureus and profile in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of S aureus from ocular isolates over time.


METHODS
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.


METHODS
Data on S aureus submitted to The Surveillance Network (TSN) by more than 200 laboratories in the United States from January 2000 to December 2005 were reviewed. The prevalence of methicillin resistance in S aureus ocular infections and in vitro susceptibility to antibiotic agents commonly used to treat or prevent ocular infections were determined.


RESULTS
The proportion of S aureus infections culture-positive for methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) increased from 29.5% in 2000 to 41.6% in 2005. The MRSA ocular isolates were multidrug resistant; that is, in vitro resistance to 3 antibiotic agents or more, including all fluoroquinolones tested.


CONCLUSIONS
Multidrug-resistant MRSA is increasing in serious ocular infections. Based on the rate of increase in the TSN database, MRSA cultures from serious ocular infections could be more common than methicillin-susceptible S aureus within 2 to 3 years. Large-scale national surveillance programs are needed to monitor in vitro antimicrobial resistance trends in ocular isolates.
Asbell
Penny A
PA
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA. penny.asbell@mssm.edu
Sahm
Daniel F
DF
Shaw
Mary
M
Draghi
Deborah C
DC
Brown
Nina P
NP
D016208:Databases, Factual; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008712:Methicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D008712:Methicillin