While enterococci are always quick to devise mechanisms for developing resistance to novel antibiotics, staphylococci seem to take longer. The differential pace of the development of resistance is fortunate in that enterococci have a tendency to be less virulent than staphylococci, but it only delays the inevitable — sooner or later staphylococci catch up.
Cases of methicillin resistant
The problem did not really initially cause widespread concern because it was thought the glycopeptide vancomycin could cope. But in May 1996 this assumption came under threat with the first reported case of S. aureus resistant to vancomycin. This first patient was in Japan, and it took a couple of years before one showed ...
