title: [Copper activity against multiresistant Gram-positive cocci isolated in Chilean hospitals].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nosocomial infections caused by multiresistant Gram-positive cocci are a serious problem for public health systems worldwide. The use of copper surfaces in hospital environments has proven to be an effective alternative for the control of various microorganisms, including multiresistant nosocomial pathogens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between antibiotic multiresistance and higher levels of copper tolerance in Gram-positive cocci isolated from Chilean hospitals, which might confer a selective advantage in environments with copper.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ionic copper tolerance levels were evaluated using the Mueller Hinton agar dilution method, in S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. strains with different levels of susceptibility to clinically relevant antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant association between higher levels of tolerance to copper ion and multi-resistance to antibiotics in Enterococcus spp. was observed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kappes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Helia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bello-Toledo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mella Montecinos
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Infectología, Hospital Regional Dr. Guillermo Grant Benavente, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Gisella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riedel Molina
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología Laboratorio de Investigación en Agentes Antibacterianos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González-Rocha
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002677:Chile; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003300:Copper