Original Paper

Surveillance of Antibacterial Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Isolated in Kuwaiti Hospitals
E.E. Udo^a, N. Al-Sweih^a, R. Dhar^b, T.S. Dimitrov^b, E.M. Mokaddas^a, M. Johny^b, I.A. Al-Obaid^b, H.H. Gomaa^b, L.A. Mobasher^b, V.O. Rotimi^a, A. Al-Asar^b

Department of
^aMicrobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, and
^bMicrobiology Laboratories, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Health, Kuwait

Address of Corresponding Author

Med Princ Pract 2008;17:71-75 (DOI: 10.1159/000109594)

  Key Words

• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• Fusidic acid resistance
• Reduced susceptibility to vancomycin

  Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among Staphylococcus aureus isolated in Kuwaiti hospitals. Materials and Methods:S. aureus were isolated and identified following standard microbiological methods. Antibacterial susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion and the measurement of minimum inhibitory concentration with E-test strips. Results: A total of 1,846 S. aureus isolates were analyzed from 13 hospitals between 1 March and 30 October 2005. They were isolated from 1,765 (95.6%) inpatients and 81 (4.4%) outpatients. Methicillin resistance was detected in 588 (32.0%) of the isolates. The methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) consisted of 461 (78%) multiresistant and 127 (22%) nonmultiresistant isolates. The nonmultiresistant MRSA consisted of epidemic MRSA-15 and community-associated MRSA. The community-associated MRSA was detected in all hospitals with MRSA, indicating its establishment in Kuwaiti hospitals. The proportion of isolates resistant to gentamicin, kanamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, fusidic acid and trimethoprim was higher among MRSA than methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates. Twenty-four and 22% of MRSA and MSSA isolates, respectively, expressed reduced susceptibility to vancomycin (minimum inhibitory concentration = 3-4 mg/l). Conclusion: The study revealed the presence of methicillin resistance in 32% of S. aureus isolated in Kuwaiti hospitals and revealed an increase in the number of MRSA and MSSA with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Edet E. Udo
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine
Health Sciences Centre, Kuwait University
PO Box 24923, 13110 Safat (Kuwait)
Tel. +965 498 6773, Fax +965 533 2719, E-Mail edet@hsc.edu.kw

  Article Information

Received: November 27, 2006
Revised: March 6, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 27