The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Fifteen isolates of methicillin resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCONS) recovered from
fifteen cases of bacterial conjunctivitis were tested for their susceptibilities to ten antibiotics, by disc
diffusion method, the extent of their susceptibilities to vancomycin by agar dilution method and, their
capability for producing biofilm. Multiple antibiotic resistance was clearly recognized among all
MRCONS and one strain was found resistant to all antibiotics. Six out of the 15 strains (40%) exhibited
intermediate resistance to vancomycin (8-16 μg/ml) and one isolate (6.7%) recovered from adult age
group was fully resistant to vancomycin (32 μg/ml). Biofilm production was expressed by 11 out of the 15
strains. These constituted seven isolates of VRCONS (100%) and four isolates out of MRCONS (50%).
The association between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance reflects clinical significance of these
isolates and the need for determination of antibiotic susceptibility directly against biofilm-associated
organisms.