ABSTRACT
Background: During the last decade, there has been a progressive increase in the resistance of gram (+) cocci to betalactamics and other antimicrobials. Therefore, vancomycin and teicoplanin have incorporated as alternative antimicrobial drugs. Aim: To assess the susceptibility of gram (+) cocci to different antimicrobials including vancomycin and teicoplanin. Material and methods: We studied 447 strains of gram (+) cocci coming from ambulatory and hospitalized patients. These included 308 enterococcus sp strains, 99 staphycoccus aureus strains and 40 coagulase negative staphylococci strains. Enterococci susceptibility was measured using minimal inhibitory concentrations in agar and that of staphylococci, through diffusion. Susceptibility to vancomycin and teicoplanin was measured using minimal inhibitory concentrations in all strains. Results: Enterococcus faecalis was 100 percent susceptible to ampicillin, penicillin, vancomycin and teicoplanin, 23 percent susceptible to tetracyclin and 47 percent to chloramphenicol. Susceptibility of E faecium was 61 percent to penicillin, 49 percent to chloramphenicol, 41 percent to tetracyclin, 100 percent to vancomycin and teicoplanin. Of 19 enterococcus spp strains, 90 percent were susceptible to ampicillin, 80 percent to penicillin, 55 percent to chloramphenicol and 45 percent to tetracyclin. Only one E casseiflavus strain had a low level resistance to vancomycin and was susceptible to teicoplanin. No staphylococcus aureus strain was resistant to vancomycin or teicoplanin. Conclusions: A permanent surveillance of gram (+) cocci antimicrobial susceptibility is required to update therapeutic schemes