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Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae Using the Quellung Reaction
04:25

Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae Using the Quellung Reaction

Published on: February 24, 2014

Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in metropolitan New York hospitals: case control study and molecular

R B Roberts1, A Tomasz, A Corso

  • 1The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA. barg@mail.rockefeller.edu

Microbial Drug Resistance (Larchmont, N.Y.)
|July 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRP) infections were common in New York hospitals in 1998. Two international clones accounted for nearly half of these drug-resistant bacterial isolates.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial infections.
  • Penicillin resistance in S. pneumoniae poses a significant public health challenge.
  • Understanding the epidemiology and genetic characteristics of resistant strains is crucial for effective treatment and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRP) isolates in metropolitan New York hospitals.
  • To identify risk factors associated with PRP infections.
  • To determine the genetic relatedness and clonal spread of PRP isolates.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study was conducted involving patients with S. pneumoniae infections.
  • Isolates were tested for penicillin and ceftriaxone resistance using E-test.
  • Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to analyze the chromosomal macrorestriction patterns of PRP isolates.

Main Results:

  • 24% of 476 S. pneumoniae isolates were penicillin-resistant (PRP).
  • Adult patients with PRP infections frequently had underlying medical illnesses (74%) and pneumonia (63%).
  • Two internationally spread clones (SP(23)-1 and SP(9/14)-3) accounted for 48% of analyzed PRP isolates and were found in all hospitals.

Conclusions:

  • Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae was prevalent in New York hospitals during the study period.
  • Specific drug-resistant clones are widespread and contribute significantly to PRP infections.
  • Further surveillance and infection control measures are warranted to manage the spread of resistant strains.

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