Emergence of tobramycin-resistant S. epidermidis possessing aminoglycoside modifying enzymes and bacteremic superinfection during empiric therapy of febrile neutropenic episodes.

During a randomized clinical trial comparing tobramycin plus ticarcillin to netilmicin plus ticarcillin as empiric therapy of febrile neutropenic patients, Staphylococcus epidermidis emerged as the predominate superinfecting pathogen in tobramycin recipients. Overall clinical response was 68% (44/65 responding) in tobramycin/ticarcillin recipients and 73% (45/62) in netilmicin/ticarcillin recipients. However, 5/65 tobramycin/ticarcillin treated episodes were complicated by bacteremic superinfection with Staphylococcus epidermidis, as compared to 0/62 netilmicin/ticarcillin treated episodes (p less than 0.

Analysis of an outbreak of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome: strategies for typing 'non-typable' strains.

Thirteen newborn babies were studied during an outbreak of scalded skin syndrome. Staphylococci isolated from seven babies were non-typable using the international set of typing phages; the remainder were of phage group II. In only one instance was there transmission of phage group II strains other than within families.