[In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of coagulase negative staphylococcal ocular isolates].

Purpose: To assess the in vitro susceptibility of conjunctival and corneal coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) to methicillin, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides.

Methods: A total of 707 conjunctival and corneal CoNS disk diffusion test results were retrospectively analyzed, from January 2000 through December 2003.

Results: From 2000 to 2003, there was an increase in number of CoNS isolated from conjunctiva (n=57 to n=153) and cornea (n=28 to n=78).

Laboratory detection methods for methicillin resistance in coagulase negative Staphylococcus isolated from ophthalmic infections.

Purpose: To evaluate different methods of oxacillin susceptibility testing of ocular isolates, considering polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the 'gold standard', and to compare the in vitro susceptibility to oxacillin with that of other antimicrobials used in ophthalmologic practice.

Methods: The Vitek gram-positive identification card was used to identify ocular coagulase negative Staphylococcus species. The presence of the mecA gene was determined by the polymerase chain reaction assay with a combination of two primer sets (mecA and 16S rRNA) in a single region.

Fluoroquinolone susceptibilities to methicillin-resistant and susceptible coagulase-negative Staphylococcus isolated from eye infection.

Purpose: To evaluate the fluoroquinolone susceptibilities of ocular isolate coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), identified at the Microbiology Laboratory - UNIFESP.

Design: Experimental laboratory investigation.

Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 21 strains of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) and 22 methicillin-sensitive coagulase-negative staphylococci (MSCoNS) to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were determined, using the E-test method standardized by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI/NCCLS).

In vitro activity of fluoroquinolones against ocular bacterial isolates in São Paulo, Brazil.

Purpose: To compare the in vitro susceptibility profiles of bacterial ocular isolates and to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin (fourth-generation fluoroquinolones) versus ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin (second-generation fluoroquinolones).

Methods: Gram-positive and gram-negative isolates were recovered from cases of keratitis, conjunctivitis, and endophthalmitis between 2002 and 2004 and were identified and extracted from the Microbiology Data Bank of the Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. The comparison of in vitro MIC and susceptibility profiles for ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin in gram-positive and gram-negative (n = 219) isolates was performed using the E test method.