Assessment of susceptibility to metronidazole and vancomycin of Clostridium difficile strains isolated between 1998-2002

The drugs of choice used to treat C. diffcile associated diarrhoea (CDAD) are metronidazole and vancomycin. C. difficile strains isolated in most laboratories are susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin. Communication about emergence of antimicrobial resistance among C. difficile strains in some countries to metronidazole and intermediate resistance to vancomycin are alarming. This study was performed to determine the susceptibility to metronidazole and vancomycin of 140 C. difficile strains isolated from patients with CDAD hospitalised in academic hospital between 1999-2002. Resistance to metronidazole and vancomycin was not observed.