PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H M Heffernan

Publications and source records attributed to H M Heffernan.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Antibiotic susceptibilities, serotypes and auxotypes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the distribution of auxotypes and serotypes and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among New Zealand isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 486 gonococci isolated in 1988 were auxotyped, serotyped, and tested for susceptibilities to ten antibiotics. RESULTS: The gonococci were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested except penicillin and tetracycline. Eleven (2.2%) produced beta-lactamase, one (0.2%) showed chromosomal penicillin resistance, and 18 (3.7%) were resistant to a low-level of tetracycline. Most of the gonococci belonged to six auxotypes. The three predominant auxotypes were arginine-requiring (Arg-), non-requiring (NR), and arginine, hypoxanthine, uracil-requiring (AHU-). The majority of the isolates belonged to serogroup IB and to six serovars. The most prevalent serovars were IB-3 and IB-1. There was an association between penicillin susceptibility and auxotype or serovar among non-penicillinase producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic resistance, including penicillin resistance, remains uncommon among gonococci in New Zealand. Baselines have been established for future epidemiological studies using both auxotyping and serotyping.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Antibiotic resistance among Salmonella from human and other sources in New Zealand.

Of 2210 salmonella isolates referred to the New Zealand Communicable Disease Centre for epidemiological surveillance during 1987, 147 (6.7%) were resistant to one or more of 10 antibiotics. Resistance to streptomycin was most common (4.5%), followed by sulphamethoxazole (3.4%), tetracycline (3.3%), ampicillin (1.5%), and kanamycin (1.4%). Resistance to cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin and trimethoprim occurred in less than 1% of isolates. There was no resistance to norfloxacin. Isolates from human sources were significantly (P less than 0.001) more resistant (10%) than those from other sources (3.2%). The majority of resistant isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic, but multiresistance to five or more antibiotics occurred only among human isolates. Comparison of these results with data from earlier years shows that there has been little change in the incidence of resistance among salmonella in this country over the last 10 years. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance among salmonella in New Zealand is low relative to many other countries.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an increasing threat in New Zealand hospitals.

During the three years 1985 to 1987 an increasing number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were identified in New Zealand each year. A total of 66 strains of MRSA were identified among isolates received from 418 patients and health personnel. The majority (337/418, 80.6%) of the isolates were from two independent large outbreaks of MRSA. All strains of MRSA were sensitive to vancomycin, rifampicin and fusidic acid. An overseas origin, usually Australia, was identified for 48.4% of strains. The majority of isolates were from patients whose host defences had been breached. Postoperative and cutaneous wounds were the commonest sites of acquisition.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗