title: Longitudinal surveillance on antibiogram of important Gram-positive pathogens in Southern China, 2001 to 2015.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A longitudinal surveillance aimed to investigate the antibiogram of three genus of important Gram-positive pathogens in Southern China during 2001-2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3849 Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus strains were isolated from Southern China during 2001-2015. Bacteria identification was performed by colony morphology, Gram staining, the API commercial kit and the Vitek 2 automated system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was determined by disk diffusion method and MIC method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As sampling site was concerned, 51.4% of Staphylococcus strains were isolated from sputum, whereas urinary tract remained the dominant infection site among Enterococcus and Streptococcus. According to the antimicrobial susceptibility, three genus of important Gram-positive pathogens showed high resistance against erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Resistance rates to penicillins (penicillin, oxacillin, ampicillin) were high as well, with the exception of E. faecalis and Streptococcus. Overall, resistance rates against methicillin (oxacillin) were 63.2% in S. aureus and 76.2% in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), along with continuous increases during the study. VRSA and vancomycin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus only appeared in 2011-2015. Sight decline was obtained for the vancomycin resistance of E. faecalis, while vancomycin-resistant E. faecium only appeared in 2011-2015, with its intermediate rate decreasing. Significant decrease in penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia (PRSP) was observed during studied period. Glycopeptide antibiotic remained highly effective to Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus (resistance rates <5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite decline obtained for some antibiotic agents resistance during 2001-2015, antimicrobial resistance among Gram-positive pathogens still remained high in Southern China. This study may aid in the guidance for appropriate therapeutic strategy of infections caused by nosocomial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Guangzhou, 510640, China. Electronic address: zhenbo.xu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhenbo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Jinhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510620, China. Electronic address: guangchaoyu@126.com.
authors.forename: Guangchao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Shirtliff
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology*; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Enterococcus; Staphylococcus; Streptococcus