VRSA: first case. (Clinical Capsules).(Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus )(Brief Article)

The first case of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to vancomycin, considered the most reliable drug for treating infections caused by the bacterium, has been confirmed.

The affected patient had undergone multiple metatarsal amputations and debridement of foot ulcers associated with diabetic neuropathy. Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) was recovered from cultures of these ulcers, reported Dr. Soju Chang of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, and colleagues.

VRSA was not found in any of the patient's close contacts, but one was found to carry a methicillin-resistant strain of S. aureus, which was indistinguishable from the VRSA on pulsed-field gel …