Susceptibility patterns of coagulase-negative staphylococci to several newer antimicrobial agents in comparison with vancomycin and oxacillin.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens. CoNS resistance to meticillin and other semisynthetic penicillins is now common. Elevated vancomycin minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) have been reported and are associated with worse treatment outcomes.

Comparison of three phenotypic techniques for detection of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus spp. reveals a species-dependent performance.

Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of the cefoxitin screen in Vitek 2 Gram-positive panels for recognizing methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci.

Methods: Seven hundred and ninety-nine non-duplicate isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative strains were included in the study. Methicillin resistance was measured using PCR for the mecA gene, the CLSI cefoxitin disc diffusion method, the Vitek 2 cefoxitin screen and the Vitek 2 oxacillin susceptibility test.

Evaluation of a new chromogenic medium for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage on nasal and perianal specimens.

A new chromogenic medium, denim blue (DB), was compared with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Select (MRSAS) for detection of MRSA from surveillance specimens. On DB, MRSA colonies are larger (0.57-0.