Transfer of gentamicin resistance between coagulase-negative and coagulase-positive staphylococci on skin.

The transfer of gentamicin resistance between a coagulase-negative S. hominis strain and various coagulase-positive S. aureus strains on human and murine skin in the absence of a selective agent is described. Transfer occurs at higher frequency on skin than in broth. Skin transfer may account for the apparently explosive occurrence of gentamicin resistant staphylococci in hospitals.