Abstract

SCREENING OF MRSA AND VRE ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY OR SUSCEPTIBILITY TOWARDS DAPTOMYCIN, LINEZOLID AND VANCOMYCIN

Yousuf Tahira*, Yousuf Sajad, D. K Kakru, Suhail Mohammad

ABSTRACT

Gram-positive organisms are the most common bacterial pathogens causing serious infections such as complicated skin and soft tissue infection, bacteremia and infective endocarditis. The grave concern is the growing incidence of drug resistant pathogens, such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE), for which therapeutic options are limited. Staphylococcus aureus is a member of the Micrococcaceae; it is gram-positive cocci and can be distinguished from other staphylococcal species on the basis of gold pigmentation of colonies and positive results for coagulase. The term ‘enterococcus’ originates from the Greek enteron meaning ‘the gut or intestine’ and kokkos meaning ‘a berry or kernel’. There are two main species; Enterococcus faecalisand E. faecium responsible for human enterococcal infections. Vancomycin is a member of the glycopeptide antibiotic class and is effective mostly against Gram-positive bacteria. Daptomycin a cyclic lipopeptide derived from the fermentation of Streptomyces roseosporus. Linezolid is a bacteriostatic, gram-positive antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis at the 5OS ribosome. In view of the limited information available from Kashmir, the present study will be aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of MRSA and VRE isolates obtained from hospitalized patients against daptomycin, vancomycin and linezolid. the results of our study showed elevated MIC for linezolid among MRSA and enterococci, is a cause of concern; but daptomycin/vancomycin remain good therapeutic alternatives to treat infections caused by MRSA and daptomycin a good agent for VRE. E test was found equally sensitive to Microbroth dilution method in screening MRSA and VRE for antibiotic susceptibility.

Keywords: MRSA, VRE, Linezolid, Vancomycin, Daptomycin.