J Clin Microbiol
2000 Oct;38(10):3879-81
Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine
and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. mnkim@www.amc.seoul.kr
Recent reports on some methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin have been a major concern in
Korea because of the widespread use of vancomycin due to a high prevalence
of MRSA in the country. We describe a 45-year-old man with long-standing
pelvic abscess due to MRSA. In spite of vancomycin and teicoplanin
treatment for a long period of time, the patient died from MRSA sepsis. The
blood culture isolate of MRSA exhibited reduced susceptibility to
vancomycin (MIC, 8 microg/ml). This is the first report of a
vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus case from Korea.