Staphylococcus Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Staphylococcus, including details on mrsa, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

Unstable vancomycin heteroresistance is common among clinical isolates of methiciliin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Plipat N, Livni G, Bertram H, Thomson RB

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Prannok Road, Bangkoknoi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. nplipat@msn.com

We tested 109 unique, vancomycin-susceptible, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains for vancomycin heteroresistance by a selection method, i.e., step-wise exposure of large inoculums to increasing concentrations of vancomycin. Although no strains demonstrated stable heteroresistance, 81 strains (74%) demonstrated unstable heteroresistance. Unstable heteroresistance is common among clinical isolates of MRSA and may represent a cause of therapeutic failure.

Published 5 May 2005 in J Clin Microbiol, 43(5): 2494-6.
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