Changes in 4-year antimicrobial resistance pattern of gram-positive bacteria at the main referral teaching hospital, Tehran, Iran.

Infectious diseases are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality and the spread of resistant microorganisms is playing a significant role in this regard. The purpose of this study was to assess the trend in antimicrobial resistance of gram-positive bacteria at the main referral teaching hospital in Tehran during a 4-year period. All patients' biological isolates such as blood, urine, wound drainage, synovial fluid, sputum, and cerebrospinal fluid sent to the central laboratory of the hospital from 2007 to 2010 for identification and subsequently, antimicrobial susceptibility testing by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method were considered. All isolates (100%) of S. aureus were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid and resistant to amoxicillin. The rate of S. aureus resistance to oxacillin increased from 60.78% in 2007 to 72% in 2010. All isolates of Streptococci in 2007 and 2008 were sensitive to vancomycin; while, 3.33% and 4.76% of Streptococci isolates were reported to be vancomycin-resistant in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Enterococci isolated from the entire specimens were identified to be sensitive to teicoplanin and linezolid and resistant to cloxacillin and oxacillin. The rates of Enterococci sensitivity to vancomycin were 90.91%, 81.25%, 86.67%, and 93.3% in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, respectively. Changes of antibiotics sensitivity against g positive pathogens were significant during four years in this study. To minimize the spread of resistant gram positive pathogens, periodic and regular surveillance of antimicrobial resistance pattern is highly recommended.