The incidence of inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance in methicillin-resistant staphylococci in clinical isolates from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa.

The incidence of inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance in methicillin-resistant staphylococci in clinical isolates from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa is shown to be higher than might be expected. A significant difference in the frequency between different hospital and different population groups was identified. RAPD fingerprinting of the strains suggests that this difference is mirrored in the presence of different Staphylococcus aureus strains in the different hospitals. It is proposed that the significantly higher level of overcrowding in certain hospitals in worsening the problem of multiple antibiotic resistance in the Eastern Cape.