IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIRESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS IN NEONATES OF A SECONDARY CARE HOSPITAL USING PULSED-FIELD GEL-ELECTROPHORESISAND QUANTITATIVE ANTIBIOGRAM TYPING

Aims-To determine the diversity of types of Staphylococcus epidermidis in a neonatal care unit-of a secondary care hospital in the Netherlan ds. Methods-In a prospective study, specimens from nose, ear, axilla, umbilicus, and groin were taken from patients twice a week during a pe riod of up to two weeks. All isolates were typed by both pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antibiogram analysis. Results-Fifty thr ee S epidermidis isolates from 15 of 24 patients were obtained in one to four surveys. Fourteen isolates from six patients had a common PFGE pattern and were of one multiresistant antibiogram type. The remainin g 39 isolates were allocated to 24 sporadic PFGE types and were more s usceptible to antibiotics. Colonisation with the multiresistant strain correlated with a long period of stay and nith the use of specific an tibiotics. The multiresistant isolates were related closely to isolate s of S epidermidis found in a recent study in a teaching hospital in t he vicinity of the secondary care hospital. Conclusion-Repeated sampli ng and the use of two typing methods allowed the identification; of tw o closely related multiresistant S epidermidis strains in two hospital s in the same area.