Survey of Infections Due toStaphylococcusSpecies: Frequency of Occurrence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Isolates Collected in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Western Pacific Region for the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, 1997–1999

Abstract

Between January 1997 and December 1999, bloodstream isolates from 15,439 patients infected with Staphylococcus aureus and 6350 patients infected with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (CoNS) were referred by SENTRY-participating hospitals in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Western Pacific region. S. aureus was found to be the most prevalent cause of bloodstream infection, skin and soft-tissue infection, and pneumonia in almost all geographic areas. A notable increase in methicillin (oxacillin) resistance among community-onset and hospital-acquired S. aureus strains was observed in the US centers. The prevalence of methicillin (oxacillin)-resistant S. aureus varied greatly by region, site of infection, and whether the infection was nosocomial or community onset. Rates of methicillin resistance were extremely high among S. aureus isolates from centers in Hong Kong and Japan. Uniformly high levels of methicillin resistance were observed among CoNS isolates. Given the increasing multidrug resistance among staphylococci and the possible emergence of vancomycin-resistant strains, global strategies are needed to control emergence and spread of multiply resistant staphylococci.

Cleavage of Complement C3b to iC3b on the Surface ofStaphylococcus aureusIs Mediated by Serum Complement Factor I

“…Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the most common bacterial causes of severe human infections in both hospitals and communities (5,9). Of considerable concern is this pathogen's ever-increasing resistance to antibiotics (4,12,18,23).…”

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria inhibited by extracts and fractions from Brazilian marine sponges

“…are the pathogens most frequently isolated from nosocomial bacteremias, with an attributable mortality rate ranging from 13% for CNS to 42% for MRSA. In these cases, the therapy is generally limited to the use of vancomycin and teicoplanin (Diekema et al, 2001;Weber et al, 2003). However, some Staphylococcus strains resistant to glycopeptides have been reported in Brazil and other countries.…”

Application of molecular techniques in the study of Staphylococcus aureus clonal evolution - A Review

“…During the last decade, Staphylococcus aureus was recognized as the most frequent agent of bloodstream and skin infections in Latin American hospitals (Diekema et al 2001). Acquisition of resistance to several antimicrobial agents has been a major problem for the treatment of infections by this pathogen in the hospital and community settings.…”