VANCOMYCIN INTERMEDIATE RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS SPP. COLONIZATION IN HANDS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS OF TERTIARY LEVEL HOSPITALS IN KOLKATA, INDIA

AIMS: The emerging threat of widespread vancomycin resistance pose a serious public health concern. The objective of this study was to find the existence of vancomycin intermediateresistant Staphylococcus spp (VIS) colonization in hands of health care workers. METHODS: 1284 isolates of Staphylococcus spp, from the fingers of 528 health care workers (HCW) of two tertiary level Government hospitals, were studied to identify the reduced susceptibility of vancomycin by minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) determination. RESULTS: The result indicated that 1058(82.39%) isolates have MICs of ≤4μg/ml and 226 (17.56%) isolates have MICs ≥4 μg/ml (but <32μg/ml), which is intermediate range between sensitive and resistance. CONCLUSION: This data revealed the significant presence of vancomycin intermediate-resistant staphylococci (VIS) in nonclinical isolates in Kolkata in the defined period of study.