HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea associated with enterotoxin-producing strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

AbstractOBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study is to present new evidence that enterotoxin-producing strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus may cause nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
METHODS:
We conducted a prospective study that utilized standard methods to exclude other bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens as causes of nosocomial diarrhea in patients with heavy growth of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in their stool. Staphylococcal enterotoxin assays were performed on S. aureus strains recovered from patients' stools and on stool specimens from affected patients. Retrospective cohort studies compared the severity of diarrhea in patients with methicillin-resistant S. aureus-associated diarrhea with that of patients whose stool did not contain the organism and with patients colonized or infected with enterotoxin-negative methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains.
RESULTS:
During an 18-month period, 11 patients had nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea associated with enterotoxin-producing strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Other common bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens were excluded. S. aureus strains from the 11 patients produced staphylococcal enterotoxin A, A and B, or D. Eighty-nine percent of patients had the same enterotoxin(s) in stool specimens as produced by the strain recovered from their stool. Case patients had a greater number of days of diarrhea than patients without methicillin-resistant S. aureus in their stool (p < 0.001), or randomly selected patients colonized or infected with enterotoxin-negative methicillin-resistant S. aureus (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings provide evidence that enterotoxin-producing strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus may cause nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Greater recognition of this disease should result in more rapid and appropriate treatment of affected patients.
AuthorsJohn M Boyce, Nancy L Havill
JournalThe American journal of gastroenterology (Am J Gastroenterol) Vol. 100 Issue 8 Pg. 1828-34 (Aug 2005) ISSN: 0002-9270 [Print] United States
PMID16086721 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
Chemical References
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Enterotoxins
Topics
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents (adverse effects)
  • Cross Infection (microbiology)
  • Diarrhea (chemically induced, microbiology)
  • Enterotoxins (biosynthesis)
  • Feces (microbiology)
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methicillin Resistance
  • Staphylococcal Infections (complications, microbiology)
  • Staphylococcus aureus (drug effects, isolation & purification, metabolism)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: