INCIDENCE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT COAGULASE POSITIVE AND COAGULASE-NEGATIVE STAPHYLOCOCCI IN BLOOD CULTURES

Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) from blood culture of bacteraemic patients were studied for me thicillin resistance is 1993 and 1996. An increase in methicillin resi stance among these isolates was observed in 1996. In 1993, 32.6 per ce nt isolates of S. aureus were methicillin resistant, this increased to 45.7 per cent in 1996. Methicillin resistance in CONS were 1.6 and 14 .6 per cent respectively in 1993 and 1996. This increase in methicilli n resistance may pose therapeutic problems and requires more effective drugs based on susceptibility testing of such isolates.