Transmissible mupirocin resistance inStaphylococcus aureus

Abstract

SUMMARYThe spread of two strains ofStaphylococcus aureuswith high level resistance to mupirocin is described. The resistance proved to be easily transferred to otherS. aureusstrains by filter mating experiments and on the skin of mice. No plasmid band corresponding to the resistance could be demonstrated by agarose gel electrophoresis or by caesium chloride gradient centrifugation but cleavage of ‘chromosomal’ DNA from resistant recipients showed bright bands of DNA absent from sensitive controls.