In-vitro activity of linezolid and other antimicrobial agents against methicillin resistant staphylococci

To evaluate the in-vitro activities of linezolid, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, amikacin, trimethoprim and fusidic acid, against methicillin resistant isolates. Three hundred and twenty two non-duplicate archived Staphylococcal isolates recovered from routine cultures performed in the microbiology laboratory from wounds, and abscesses swabs, urine, blood, pus, derived from both in- and out patients were tested. A total of 274 S. aureus and 76 CNS clinical isolates were included in the study, 46.7% were MRSA and 21% methicillin resistant CNS [MRCNS]. None of the strains was found to be resistant to linezolid and vancomycin. The resistance rates of MRSA isolates to antibiotics were as follows: 86% to gentamicin, 84.3% to fusidic acid, 80% to trimethoprim, 78.2% to ciprofloxacin and 76.5% to amikacin. Similar trend were also obtained for MRCNS isolates. The majority [70%] of MRSA isolates were resistant to all used classes of antibiotics in the study, while only 4.3% were sensitive to such antimicrobial agents. Due to the high prevalence of multi-drug resistant MRSA, this study has provided valuable baseline information to clinicians regarding the benefit of linezolid, suggesting that it can be used as an alternative drug in such severe life threatening infections caused by MRSA, especially if the side effect of vancomycin was observed

Candidemia in a burn intensive care unit, a six-year analysis

To determine the current candidemia frequency trends in Burn Intensive Care Unit [BICU], to assess the dominant species causing infection and the mortality rates among burn patients. The populationstudied [six-year retrospective study from January 2000 to January 2006] comprised all the patients with microbiological evidence of septicaemia admitted to the BICU at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Hospital [BPSH], Tripoli, Libya. Candida species isolated from blood culture were identified using API-20 C AUX system. Among 691 admitted to BICU, there were 24 [6.3%] episodes of candidemia identified from 380 positive blood cultures. There was a difference in the yearly episodes observed during this period with higher numbers of cases in the years 2000 and 2002. Candida ranked the fourth most common isolate exceeded only by Staphylococci, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella. Five patients [20.8%] had only Candida species, while the majority [79.2%] had a multiple episodes caused by one or two bacterial species followed by Candida. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species accounting for 58% of all isolates. Non-albicans Candida species accounted for 42% of all episodes of candidemia and were mostly represented by C. parasilosis 5 [20.8%], C. glabrata 4 [16.6%[and C. tropicalis 2 [8.3%] Despite that all patients received fluconazole, the overall mortality rate 14/24 [58%] was significantly high [P <0.05] compared with 85/187 [45%] patients who had septicemia but from whom Candida species were not isolated. Blood stream infections [BSls] caused by Candida species were the 4[th] most common isolate exceeded only by Staphylococci, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella. We suggest that surveillance for antifungal sensitivities should be conducted for successful treatment