RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Gillespie, M. T. A1 May, J. W. A1 Skurray, R. A.YR 1984 T1 Antibiotic susceptibilities and plasmid profiles of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A retrospective study JF Journal of Medical Microbiology, VO 17 IS 3 SP 295 OP 310 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-17-3-295 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1473-5644, AB SUMMARY Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated at a single Melbourne Hospital between 1969 and 1981 were examined for susceptibility to a range of antimicrobial agents and for the presence of plasmid DNA. Isolates obtained during 1969 possessed a plasmid of mol. wt 20 × 106, encoding heavy metal resistance and penicillinase production, and a plasmid of mol. wt 2–8 × 106, mediating tetracycline resistance. In the majority of isolates obtained after 1973, these functions were chromosomally encoded. Before 1980, both high- and low-level chromosomally-encoded gentamicin resistances were encountered, whereas isolates from 1980 and 1981 displayed low-level gentamicin resistance only; the latter phenotype was most commonly mediated by a plasmid of mol. wt 18 × 106 that also encoded resistance to tobramycin and kanamycin. Chloramphenicol resistance in strains isolated throughout the period was mediated by one of three plasmids, each of mol. wt c. 3 × 106., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-17-3-295