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Resistance pattern of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children during a four-year period in Greece
I Paraskakis1, E Lebessi, N J Legakis
1Microbiology Laboratory of P. and A. Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Insights
This study analyzed Streptococcus pneumoniae resistance in children from 1992-1995. Penicillin resistance was 10%, with higher rates in localized infections and reduced susceptibility to other antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of childhood infections.
- Understanding antimicrobial resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment.
- Data on pediatric S. pneumoniae resistance from the mid-1990s is important for historical context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from children.
- To analyze resistance trends over a four-year period (1992-1995).
- To compare resistance profiles between localized and invasive infections.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 432 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from pediatric patients.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, cefotaxime, and vancomycin.
- Categorization of infections as localized or invasive.
Main Results:
- Overall penicillin resistance was 10%.
- Resistance rates for other agents were: chloramphenicol (2.8%), tetracycline (4.6%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (4.9%), erythromycin (4.4%), clindamycin (2.5%), cefotaxime (0.9%), and vancomycin (0%).
- Penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates were more frequent in localized infections and showed lower susceptibility to non-beta-lactam agents.
Conclusions:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae exhibited varying resistance levels to common antibiotics in the mid-1990s.
- Penicillin resistance was notable, particularly in strains from localized pediatric infections.
- Reduced susceptibility to non-beta-lactam agents in penicillin-resistant strains highlights the complexity of antimicrobial resistance.
Abstract:
The resistance pattern of 432 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from children with various infections over a 4-year period (1992-1995) was determined. The rates of resistance to penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, cefotaxime, and vancomycin were 10%, 2.8%, 4.6%, 4.9%, 4.4%, 2.5%, 0.9%, and 0%, respectively. All strains not susceptible to penicillin were intermediately susceptible to penicillin-(MIC >0.06-< or = 1 microg/ml). Isolates not susceptible to penicillin were encountered significantly more often in children with localized infections than in those with invasive disease; these isolates displayed significantly lower susceptibility to non-beta-lactam agents as compared with their penicillin-susceptible counterparts.