Vancomycin Treatment of Bacteremia Caused by Oxacillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Comparison with -Lactam Antibiotic Treatment of Bacteremia Caused by Oxacillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract
The epidemiology and therapy of 29 episodes of bacteremia caused by oxacillin- and aminoglycoside-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (OARSA) were compared with 29 episodes of bacteremia due to oxacillin-sensitive S. aureus (OSSA) that occurred during a 36-month period. Patients with bacteremia due to OSSA were younger (P P <0.01). The overall survival rate one month after persistent bacteremia was 74% for patients with OARSA bacteremia treated with vancomycin compared with 70% for patients with OSSA bacteremia treated with a β-lactam antibiotic. The results indicate that vancomycin is an effective antibiotic for the treatment of bacteremia caused by OARSA and suggest that its effectiveness is comparable to that of β-lactam antibiotic treatment of bacteremia due to OSSA.