Emergence of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to gentamicin and correlation of resistance with bacteriophage type.

A total of 623 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were tested for sensitivity to antibiotics by the disk diffusion method and were bacteriophage typed. The emergence of isolates resistant to gentamicin was noted. Eighteen percent of the isolates from patients on surgical services were resistant to gentamicin; 83% of these resistant strains were phage type 95. Five percent of the isolates from patients on services other than surgical were resistant to gentamicin, and 61% of these gentamicin-resistant strains were phage type 94, 96. Physicians are urged to be aware of the possible emergence of such strains with epidemic potential.