Staphylococci and enterococci: ¿threats to public health? Epidemiology and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming an emerging health problem. Gram-positive cocci are bacterias which cause multiple and frequent infections in the human being, specially nosocomialleveL Staphylococcus aureus has acquired resistance mechanisms to penicillins, methicillin (MRSA) and recently to vancomycin (VISA). Enteroccocusspp is intrincically resistant to a great variety of antimicrobial agents and it has acquired resistance to betalactamics, aminoglycosides and glycopeptides. Multiple mechanisms explain the acdquisition, development and spread of resistance. At the moment there are a few alternatives to treat infections produced by resistant bacterias and the measurementsshould be directed to the control in the antibiotics use and infection control practice. This review attempts to point out the edpidemiology, resistance mechanisms treatment options and prevention means ofthese microorganisms.