NEW YORK (Reuters Health) There appears to be an “alarming trend” toward increasing antibiotic resistance in bacterial isolates from patients with superficial skin wounds and leg ulcers, Florida-based researchers report in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
“Rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues and is a problem of increasing significance in dermatology,” Dr. Isabel C. Valencia and colleagues from the dermatology inpatient unit of the University of Miami, Cedars Medical Center point out.
Between January and December 2001, the researchers cultured bacterial isolates from 148 inpatients with leg ulcers or superficial wounds. In both groups, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common bacterial isolates detected.
In patients with leg ulcers, S. aureus grew in 67% of isolates of which 75% were methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and P. aeruginosa grew in 35% of which 56% were resistant to quinolones.
In patients with superficial skin wounds, S aureus was isolated in 75% of which 44% were MRSA, while P aeruginosa grew in 17% of isolates with 18% showing quinolone resistance.
In comparison with 2 previous surveys conducted at the same unit in 1992 and 1996, there has been a “marked increase” in antibiotic resistance over time for both leg ulcers and superficial wounds, the team reports.
MRSA in leg ulcers jumped from 26% in 1992 to 75% in 2001. In superficial wounds, it rose from 7% to 44% over the same period. For P. aeruginosa resistance to quinolones in leg ulcers, the corresponding rise was from 19% to 56%, and in superficial wounds there was no resistance detected in 1992 compared with 18% resistance in 2001.
In conclusion, the researchers stress that “control programs, which encourage appropriate use of antibiotics, can delay and, in many cases, prevent the emergence of resistance.”
Source: J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;50:845-849. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Biological Phenomena: Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity: Biological Sciences: Biology: Drug Resistance, Microbial: Genetics: Genetics, Microbial: Microbiologic Phenomena: Penicillin Resistance: Pharmacogenetics: Methicillin Resistance: beta-Lactam Resistance: Biological SciencesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
