All issues > Volume 43(5); 2000

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2000;43(5):632-637. Published online May 15, 2000.

Isolation of Causative Microorganism and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test in Impetigo Developed in the Past Four Years

Hyun Jeong HJ Lee¹, Sang Jung SJ Lee¹, Seog Jun SJ Ha², Chang Kyu CK Oh³, Jin Wou JW Kim¹

¹Departments of Dermatology, St. Paul`s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
<sup>2</sup>Medical Department activity, Second Division of Marine Corps, Kimpo, Korea
<sup>3</sup>Departments of Pediatrics, St. Paul`s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea

Correspondence Jin Wou JW Kim ,Email: jwkim@sph.cuk.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: Recently, Staphylococcus aureus has been reported as the principal microorganism isolated from impetigo, showing variable degrees of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this work was to study the causative organism of impetigo the their antimicrobial susceptibility developed in impetigo in the past four years.
Methods
: We performed bacterial cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility tests in 73 patients with impetigo who visited the Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics at St. Paul's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul.
Results
: Of 73 patients, microorganisms were identified in 70 patients between May 1995 and August 1999. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 63(90%) patients. Antimicrobial susceptibility test for Staphylococcus aureus revealed low resistance to bactrim(0.0%), rifampicin(0.0%), van- comycin(3.2%), ceftriaxone(4.0%), imipenem(5.4%), ampicillin-clavulanic acid(6.1%), oxacillin(8.1%), cephazolin(9.1%), cephalothin(9.7%) and cefotaxime(10.8%). However, Staphylococcus aureus had high resistance to erythromycin(65.7%) and gentamicin(85.5%). Thirty-six(57.1%) strains of isolated Staphylococcus aureus showed resistance to more than one drug, including two strains(3.1%) resistant to more than 10 drugs.
Conclusion
: Staphylococcus aureus was the most common cause of impetigo developed in the pa- st four years. It was susceptible to most antimicrobial agents except erythromycin and gentamicin, and methicillin resistance was not strong in our results.

Keywords :Bacterial culture and sensitivity test, Impetigo, Staphylococcus aureus