Susceptibility to Antiseptics of Clinical Isolates of Enterococcus species and Staphylococcus aureus.

Abstract

The susceptibility to antiseptics and intercalating dyes was determined-for 103 clinical isolates of Enterococcus species, 42 isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 49 isolates of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Twelve antiseptic-resistant strains were detected among the isolates of MRSA but none were found among the isolates of MSSA and. Enterococcus. Two and ten of the antiseptic-resistant strains of MRSA were resistant to triclosan and ethidium bromide, respectively. The tested strains of MSSA were more sensitive to antiseptics and intercalating dyes than were the strains of MRSA and Enterococcus. The susceptibility to antiseptics and intercalatng dyes of Enterococcus spp. was similiar to that of MRSA. These results suggest that the Enterococcus spp. might therefore survive in a manner similar to that of MRSA under normal hospital conditions.