Plasmid Analysis of Simultaneous Nosocomial Outbreaks of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

A large outbreak of infections caused by methicillin and aminoglycoside resistant Staphylococcus aureus provided the opportunity to evaluate mechanisms of resistance and compare the usefulness of typing systems. Between January 1979 and December 1980, 63 patients developed infections with S aureus r...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Infection control : IC 1986-12, Vol.7 (12), p.577-581
Main Authors: Kozarsky, Phyllis E., Rimland, David, Terry, Pamela M., Wachsmuth, Kaye
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AIDS/HIV
Aminoglycosides
Bacteriophage Typing
Bacteriophages
Cross Infection - epidemiology
Cross Infection - microbiology
Deoxyribonuclease HindIII
Disease Outbreaks
DNA Restriction Enzymes
DNA, Bacterial - analysis
Enzymes
Epidemics
Georgia
Hospitals, Veterans
Humans
Infections
Methicillin - pharmacology
Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus
Microbial sensitivity tests
Nursing
Penicillin Resistance
Plasmids
Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology
Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus - classification
Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects
Staphylococcus aureus - genetics
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A large outbreak of infections caused by methicillin and aminoglycoside resistant Staphylococcus aureus provided the opportunity to evaluate mechanisms of resistance and compare the usefulness of typing systems. Between January 1979 and December 1980, 63 patients developed infections with S aureus resistant to multiple antibiotics, including methicillin and tobramycin. All isolates had an identical antibiogram and were phage type 47/54/75/77/83A. Beginning in January 1981, a superimposed outbreak caused by S aureus of the same phage type but with a resistance pattern now including gentamicin occurred. The two strains contained different aminoglycoside inactivating enzymes. The initial strain contained a single plasmid of 21.5 mDa molecular weight, whereas the subsequent strain which had acquired gentamicin resistance contained this plasmid plus a heavier one of 33 mDa. Plasmid analysis complements the analysis of antibiograms and phage types and aids in defining epidemiologic patterns of transmission.
ISSN:0195-9417
2327-9451
DOI:10.1017/s0195941700065413