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[Bacterial resistance in streptococcus pneumoniae]
Objective:
To investigate the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in patients with respiratory tract infection and healthy children and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility in S. pneumoniae.
Methods:
Sputum and throat swabs were collected from the adult and children patients. Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from healthy children with aseptic swab and cultured for S. pneumoniae. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by agar dilution method.
Results:
The isolation rates of S. pneumoniae were 10% in both children and adult out-patients, being 30.2% in 2-6 year-old healthy children. Among 82 clinical isolates, only one was low-level resistant to penicillin (MIC 0.125 mg/L). In 228 S. pneumoniae strains from healthy children, 32 were low-level resistant to penicillin (MIC 0.125-0.5 mg/L), the resistant rate being 14.0%. S. pneumoniae was usually resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin and SMZ-TMP.
Conclusion:
The penicillin-resistant strains are far more resistant to all the agents tested than susceptible strains except fluoroquinolones and vancomycin; in addition, several strains resistant to the third generation cephalosporins are found.
Insights
Streptococcus pneumoniae is common in healthy children, with 14% showing penicillin resistance. Most strains were resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, and SMZ-TMP, indicating a need for careful antibiotic selection.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Context:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant cause of respiratory tract infections.
- Understanding carriage rates and antibiotic susceptibility is crucial for public health.
- Pediatric populations are key reservoirs for S. pneumoniae.
Purpose:
- To determine the prevalence of S. pneumoniae in patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and in healthy children.
- To assess the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of S. pneumoniae isolates.
- To identify potential resistance trends in clinical and healthy pediatric populations.
Summary:
- S. pneumoniae was isolated from 10% of pediatric and adult RTI patients.
- Isolation rates were higher in healthy children aged 2-6 years (30.2%).
- Penicillin resistance was observed in 14.0% of S. pneumoniae strains from healthy children, with low-level resistance.
- High resistance rates were noted for erythromycin, clindamycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SMZ-TMP).
- Penicillin-resistant strains showed broader resistance to other agents, excluding fluoroquinolones and vancomycin.
- Some strains exhibited resistance to third-generation cephalosporins.
Impact:
- Informs clinical guidelines for treating S. pneumoniae infections.
- Highlights the burden of S. pneumoniae in pediatric populations.
- Provides data for antimicrobial stewardship programs.
- Suggests potential challenges in treating S. pneumoniae due to emerging resistance patterns.