Bacteriophage typing and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from clinical specimen in and around Solapur (South Maharashtra).

Two hundred and eighty nine strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pus and wound swabs (149), blood (36), urine (28), sputum (14), stool (12), throat swab (9) and CSF (4) were subjected for bacteriophage typing and antibiotic susceptibility pattern. 113 (39.11%) strains were typable. Among the typable strains, 16 (5.53%) belonged to phage group I, 33 (11.41%) strains belonged to phages group II, 38 (13.14%) belonged to phage group III, 26 (8.99%) strains belonged to the phages which have not been allocated to any group (Miscellaneous group) 176 (60.89%) strains were untypable. Only one (0.34%) strain was sensitive to all the drugs tested. Almost all the isolates were resistant to Ampicillin and Tobramycin (99.3% each). 286 (98.96%) strains were found to be resistant to Penicillin and Erythromycin followed by Kanamycin 272 (94.11%) and Gentamicin 263 (91.3%). 113 (39.1%) strains were Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). All MRSA strains were resistant to all drugs tested except vancomycin. Resistance to most of the commonly used antimicrobial agents indicates a need to replace these drugs with other agents and maintenance of surveillance to detect changing patterns of resistance.

Monoclonal gammopathies in asymptomatic HIV-seropositive donors.

Twenty two HIV antibody ELISA reactive serum samples from blood donors were subjected to Western blot (WB) test, out of which 12 sera were found WB positive, five were WB-indeterminate and five were WB-negative. Electrophoresis on agar gel and polyacrylamide gel (PAG) was done in all ELISA reactive sera. Two of the 12 WB-positive and one of the five WB-indeterminate donors showed presence of monoclonal (M) immunoglobulin component and which was identified as of IgG isotype on immunoelectrophoresis (IEP). Sera with 'M' component demonstrated decreased levels of IgA and IgM whereas other sera showed polyclonal increase of immunoglobulins. The paraproteins observed in these patients are possibly a reflection of B-cell overactivation.