Activity of mupirocin and 14 additional antibiotics against staphylococci isolated from Latin American hospitals: report from the SENTRY antimicrobial surveillance program.

A total of 1,346 Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and 498 coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CoNS) strains isolated from 11 Latin American medical centers between 2000 and 2001 were tested against mupirocin and other antimicrobial agents by reference broth microdilution method as part of the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program. Oxacillin resistance (OR) was detected in 38.6% of S. aureus and in 78.1% of CoNS. The overall resistance rate to mupirocin was low among S. aureus (3.1%; MIC > or =8 microd/ml) but significantly higher among ORSA compared to oxacillin-susceptible SA (5.4% versus 1.7%; p <0.001). Mupirocin-resistant S. aureus strains were detected in 9 of 11 centers, with individual center rates varying between 1.8 and 15.7%. Mupirocin resistance rates were high among CoNS (27.5%) and varied widely (10.0 to 48.9%) among the monitored Latin American medical centers. Mupirocin resistance rates appear to be increasing and routine monitoring for potential resistance seems prudent.