title: Fusidic acid resistance in Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage strains in nine European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate fusidic acid resistance pheno- and geno-typically in nasal carriage Staphylococcus aureus isolated from general practice patients in nine European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phenotypic fusidic acid resistance was determined by disc diffusion and MIC values, and genotypically by a PCR detecting fusA-E genes. The main analysis was performed on methicillin-susceptible S. aureus strains, because methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were scarce.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall S. aureus fusidic acid resistance was low (<10%). fusC was the predominant mechanism of resistance and associations were found between resistance genes and specific spa types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S. aureus strains showed low resistance to fusidic acid, making this antibiotic an appropriate choice in the treatment of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus skin infections in general practice patients in the nine participating European countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre/CAPHRI, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Casper D J
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: den Heijer
authors.forename: Evelien M E
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: van Bijnen
authors.forename: W John
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Paget
authors.forename: Ellen E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Stobberingh
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005060:Europe; D005672:Fusidic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009666:Nose; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005672:Fusidic Acid
keywords: Europe; Staphylococcus aureus; antibiotic resistance; community; fusidic acid