Susceptibility trends including emergence of linezolid resistance among coagulase-negative staphylococci and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from invasive infections.

Multiresistance in staphylococci constitutes a major challenge for the antimicrobial chemotherapy of invasive infections such as bacteraemia or bone and joint infections (BJIs). A nationwide prospective study was performed to detect antimicrobial resistance trends among staphylococci causing invasive infections. Between October 2011 and February 2012, 367 meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 695 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were collected from 37 French hospitals, mainly from bacteraemia (59.9%) and osteoarticular infections (29.0%). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by broth microdilution, and specific screening and confirmation tests were performed to detect heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA). Staphylococcal isolates exhibiting a linezolid MIC>4 mg/L were further characterised to determinate their clonal relationships and the mechanism of resistance. MRSA exhibited additional resistances, including levofloxacin (82% associated resistance), gentamicin (13.6%), fusidic acid (13.6%) and rifampicin (6.5%), compromising oral step-down therapy in BJIs. Only two hVISA strains (0.5%) were identified. Among the CoNS, mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis (506/695; 72.8%), resistance to first- and second-line agents was more common. Linezolid resistance was identified in 10 CoNS (1.4%). The most frequent linezolid resistance mechanism was the G2576T mutation in 23S rDNA (9/10). For the first time in France, the cfr gene was found in five related sequence type 2 (ST2) S. epidermidis from two different hospitals, in association with ribosomal RNA and L3 ribosomal protein mutations. These national data must be considered when selecting empirical treatment for invasive staphylococcal infections. Moreover, the emergence and spread of linezolid-resistant CoNS carrying the cfr gene is of concern.