The antimicrobial properties of cephalosporin P1, an antibiotic structurally related to fusidic acid, were examined. Cephalosporin P1 exhibited potent activity against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. Mutants of S. aureus resistant to cephalosporin P1 arose with a frequency of 1.6 x 10(-6) for selections at 4 x M...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile organism causing mild to life threatening infections. The major threat of this organism is its multidrug resistance. The present study was carried out to investigate in - vitro activity of conventional antibiotics routinely prescribed for methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) infections in...

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus is among the most common pathogens isolated from blood cultures in Ghana; yet the epidemiology of blood infections in rural settings is poorly described. This study aims to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility and clonal diversity of S. aureus causing bloodstream infections in two hospitals in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. METHODS Blood cultures were performe...

Invasive and skin community-associated (CA)-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from children were matched with invasive CA-methicillin-sensitive S. aureus strains during 2000-2004. Isolates were analyzed for presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin. A USA400 lineage clone (n = 6) and the predominant USA300 lineage clone emerged.

BACKGROUND Burns provide a suitable site for bacterial multiplication and are more persistent richer sources of infection than surgical wounds. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequently isolated pathogens in both community and hospital practices. The objective of this study was to address the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of S. aureus isolated from burn wound infec...

We developed, validated, and implemented real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the femA gene for Staphylococcus aureus and the mecA gene for methicillin resistance directly from BACTEC (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD) blood culture bottles showing gram-positive cocci in clusters. For the 332 positive blood cultures tested, the assay had 100% sensitivity and specificity for identi...

Vancomycin-sensitive, -intermediate, and -heterointermediate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates were tested by using E-tests to explore the interaction of methicillin and vancomycin. For the vancomycin-intermediate and -heterointermediate strains both drugs showed antagonism at concentrations below their MICs but synergy at methicillin concentrations near the MIC. This propert...

Occupational contact with livestock is an established risk factor for exposure to livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly among industrial swine workers. While S. aureus is known to infect cattle, livestock-associated S. aureus carriage among workers in the beef production chain has received limited attention. Beefpacking workers, who slaughter, but...

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus is the most common organism responsible for orthopaedic surgical site infections (SSIs). Patients who are carriers for methicillin-sensitive S. aureus or methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have a higher likelihood of having invasive S. aureus infections. Although some have advocated screening for S. aureus and decolonizing it is unclear whether these efforts...