Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resistance to non–β-lactam antimicrobials in the United States from 1996 to 2008

We report the resistance rates of Staphylococcus aureus to non–β-lactam antimicrobials from The Surveillance Network Database-USA (Eurofins-Medinet, Chantilly, VA). Specimens studied were from lower respiratory tract, wounds, and blood. Patients were stratified by age group and patient setting. There were 2,053,219 isolates of S. aureus and 973,116 of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The MRSA rate increased until 2004 and then leveled off. MRSA showed decreasing resistance to tetracycline and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP–SMX). By age group, the greatest MRSA rate increase was for individuals 17 years and younger. Non–β-lactam antimicrobials and particularly TMP–SMX should be considered therapeutic options for staphylococcal infections.