Inducible clindamycin resistance among clinical isolates of Staphylococci.
BACKGROUND
Clinical failure of clindamycin therapy has been reported due to multiple mechanisms that confer resistance to macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin antibiotics. This study was undertaken to detect the presence of inducible clindamycin resistance among clinical isolates of staphylococci.


METHODS
The detection of inducible clindamycin resistance was performed by D-test using erythromycin and clindamycin discs as per CDC guidelines.


RESULTS
Among the 244 clinical isolates of staphylococci studied, 32 (13.1%) showed inducible clindamycin resistance and belonged to the MLSBi phenotype. Among the MLS B i phenotypes, 10 isolates were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (38.4% of the total MRSA), 16 were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (12.9% of the total MSSA) and 6 were coagulase-negative staphylococci (6.3% of the total CONS).


CONCLUSIONS
The test for inducible resistance to clindamycin should be included in the routine antibiotic susceptibility testing, as it will help in guiding therapy.
Ciraj
A M
AM
Department of Microbiology, Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka 576 104, India. cirajam@yahoo.com
Vinod
P
P
Sreejith
G
G
Rajani
K
K
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002981:Clindamycin; D004917:Erythromycin