The activity of antistaphylococcal drugs on nosocomial Staphylococcus epidermidis.

In reporting on the activity of cephalothin, cefamandole, FCE 22101, gentamicin, netilmicin, amikacin, rifampicin, clindamycin, josamycin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin and teicoplanin on 72 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains clinically isolated in the hospital, the Authors observed a high percentage of methicillin-resistance (68.05%) as well as resistance to other important drugs such as gentamicin (72.22%), rifampicin (27.7%), clindamycin (36.1%), and josamycin (40.27%). They also recorded good inhibitory activity of the studied beta-lactam drugs. However, this activity was not confirmed against methicillin-resistant strains when the test was performed under particular technical conditions (hypertonic medium, incubation at 30 degrees C, inoculum = 10(6)). The Authors also emphasize the poor bactericidal activity against these strains. The activity of quinolones was good; the activity of vancomycin and teicoplanin was very good on all strains studied.