Glycopeptide sensitivity patterns in Staphylococci isolated from clinical specimens in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Staphylococci are among the most important and common human pathogens worldwide. Their resistance to antibiotics is increasing. The glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin and teicoplanin) are the last resort to treat serious infections caused by these bacteria. During the last decade the strains of staphylococci have developed intermediate levels of resistance to teicoplanin and vancomycin. The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence glycopeptide resistance among clinical isolates of staphylococci in Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, and comparison of antimicrobial sensitivities of vancomycin and teicoplanin among these isolates. 75 (Seventy five) consecutive staphylococci isolated from clinical specimens received in the laboratory were collected and their sensitivity to antibiotics was tested by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) disk diffusion method. Results show that all staphylococci were sensitive to the glycopeptide antibiotics. This indicates that no high-level resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics in these organisms is present in our hospital. However, the emerging resistance in staphylococci against these drugs worldwide necessitates strict surveillance of these organisms, institution of effective infection control policies and judicious use of antibiotics.