Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Molecular Characteristics of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Two Tertiary Hospitals Before and 15 Years After Implementation of the Separation of Drug Prescribing and Dispensing Policy of Korea

This study compared changes in antimicrobial susceptibilities and molecular characteristics of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) between the year 2000 and the year 2014–2015 to evaluate the policy of separating drug prescribing and dispensing in Korea. We obtained 68 CNS clinical isolates from two tertiary general hospitals before (the year 2000; n = 25) and after (the year 2014 − 2015; n = 43) implementation of the separation. Isolates were identified as Staphylococcus capitis , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Staphylococcus haemolyticus , Staphylococcus hominis , Staphylococcus saprophyticus , and Staphylococcus warneri. When minimal inhibitory concentrations of 14 antimicrobials were applied to isolates, resistance rates to gentamicin and oxacillin in 2000 were significantly higher than in 2014–2015 ( p