title: Staphylococcus aureus isolated from tonsillectomized adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus strains from 118 tonsillectomized adults due to recurrent tonsillitis (RT). The study included strains isolated from the tonsillar surface prior to tonsillectomy, recovered from the tonsillar core at the time of surgery, and from the posterior throat 2-4 weeks after the procedure. Susceptibility of isolates to 19 antibiotics was tested in line with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. Irrespective of the stage, the most commonly isolated bacteria were gram-positive cocci, and among them S. aureus. The tonsillar core was the most common site of S. aureus isolation (30.5%), followed by the tonsillar surface (10.8%) and the posterior pharynx (5.9%). This difference turned out to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Beta-hemolytic streptococci, most often Streptococcus pyogenes (5.1%), were isolated from 2.5% to 10.2% of patients. Staphylococcal isolates were susceptible to most tested antibiotics (except from penicillin and ampicillin) and rarely showed methicillin resistance (n = 1). Staphylococcus aureus seems to be the most common pathogen isolated from patients tonsillectomized due to RT. Staphylococcal isolates associated with RT are present mostly within the tonsillar core and susceptible to most antibiotics. They are typically isolated from patients between 21 and 30 years of age. Tonsillectomy results in less frequent isolation of S. aureus strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Microbiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Microbiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Garbacz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Otolaryngological Oncology, Voivodeship Specialist Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stromkowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000382:microbiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; recurrent tonsillitis; tonsillectomy