Cephalosporin resistance and beta-lactamase production in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in Karachi.

WHO recommends surveillance program for monitoring antibiotic resistance. The present study is a step in this direction. More than 100 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were collected from different hospitals in Karachi and in vitro studies were carried out by Agar dilution method using different generation of cephalosporins. The result showed high resistance to majority of these antibiotics with increase in the MIC's while only ceftriaxone and ceftazidime were the most potent one showing significant antimicrobial activity. For the detection of beta-lactamase iodometric method was used which showed that 80% strains produced beta-lactamase which clearly depict the misuse of these agents.