Antibiotic resistance in various medical services

The analysis of differences in occurrence of antibiotic-resistant strains belonging to ten species of "problem" bacteria was performed by means of a computer program in more than 150,000 bacterial strains isolated in Slovakia in 1977. In all respects, strains isolated in general medical practice were considerably more sensitive to classical as well as to newer antibiotics. Marked differences in resistance within individual medical services could be a reflection of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the use of a given antibiotic. Urological and surgical wards, and in some respects pediatric and infectious diseases services, rendered the highest percentage of strains resistant to various drugs. There are still several antibiotics which are effective in vitro against staphylococci, while gentamicin, collistin and cotrimoxazole are the only antibiotics displaying more general activity against gram-negative "problem" bacteria. Nevertheless, strains from general practice show a good response in vitro, even to older antibiotics, despite the fact that these have been widely used for decades in general practice.