Prevalence of Clindamycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Induced by Macrolide Resistance, Iran, 2019-2021

 Since the incidence of various infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus increases, the use of effective antibiotics such as clindamycin has been growing to treat the systemic and local infections caused by such organisms. Antibiotic-resistant species are emerging and spreading in today's communities due to misuse of antibiotics and incomplete treatment, turning into a serious challenge for the health care system of countries, even in the advanced ones. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of clindamycin-resistant S. aureus induced by macrolide resistance.

 In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 117 S. aureus isolates were collected from clinical samples of patients referred to Beâsat Hospital, Aja University of Medical Science, in Tehran, in Jan. 2019 to Jan. 2021, Tehran, Iran and were approved after diagnostic, microbiological, biochemical tests. Then, the data of antibiogram test were collected.

 The results showed that 47% and 43% of the isolated samples were resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin, respectively. The prevalence of isolates with erythromycin resistance and induction resistance to clindamycin was approximately 38% and total induction resistance to clindamycin was 12%. The results indicate that antibiogram tests are required to identify induced resistance to clindamycin and to inform physicians about how to prescribe antibiotics in the treatment of infections caused by S. aureus.