Spectrum of eye disease caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical features and antibiotic susceptibility of ocular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylo coccus aureus (MSSA). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: The Proctor clinical laboratory database was reviewed to identify all ocular isolates of S. aureus collected between July 1, 1998 and July 31, 2006. RESULTS: Of 915 S. aureus isolates, there were 88 MRSA isolates in 41 different patients. The proportion MRSA increased from 4.1% in 1998 to 1999 to 16.7% in 2005 to 2006. A total of 78.0% of patients with MRSA had blepharoconjunctivitis, 2.4% had cellulitis, 2.4% had dacryocystitis, 14.6% had keratitis, and 2.4% had endoplithalmitis. The diagnoses associated with MSSA were not statistically different. A total of 63.6% of MRSA isolates were sensitive to bacitracin, 100% to vancomycin, 14.8% to ciprofloxacin, 14.8% to erythromycin, 97.7% to sulfisoxazole, and 93.2% to tetracycline. CONCLUSIONS: MRSA has become a more common ocular pathogen but, as with MSSA, causes mild disease. MRSA should be treated with vancomycin.