Abstract
N. Maniatis. Amin Aqel, N.J. Legakis, L.S. Tzouvelekis
Mupirocin, an inhibitor of bacterial isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, has potent activity against staphylococci including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. It is used to treat staphylococcal skin infections as well as to eliminate nasal carriage of MRSA [1]. Mupirocin-resistant strains of S. aureus emerged soon after its introduction. High-level resistance (MIC512 mg/l) is due to the acquisition of the mupA gene that encodes an isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase that is not inhibited by mupirocin. Also, strains exhibiting low-level resistance (MIC256 mg/l) due to point mutations in the native ileS gene have also been reported [2]. In the present study we estimated the frequency of high- and low-level resistance to mupirocin in strains of S. aureus recently isolated from six hospitals in Greece.
Published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 18 (2001) 407–408