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Assessment of susceptibility testing practices for Streptococcus pneumoniae--United States, February 2000
Abstract:
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis in the United States. Antimicrobial susceptibility results are important for guiding therapy decisions and monitoring emerging resistance patterns. Appropriate methods for pneumococcal susceptibility testing are recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Recommendations for pneumococcal susceptibility testing are reviewed annually and were the same in 2000 and 2001. To assess laboratory practices for Streptococcus pneumoniae susceptibility testing on sterile site isolates, in February 2000, CDC conducted a multistate survey of clinical laboratories. This report summarizes the survey results, which found that most practices of clinical laboratories were consistent with NCCLS recommendations; however, some inconsistencies were noted. As antimicrobial resistance in pneumococci continues to worsen, clinical laboratories should be aware of emerging resistance patterns and follow new recommendations to provide clinicians with precise information about antimicrobial susceptibility.
Insights
Most clinical laboratories follow guidelines for testing Streptococcus pneumoniae susceptibility. However, some inconsistencies were found, highlighting the need for awareness of antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Clinical Laboratory Science
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae causes significant infections like pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis in the US.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is crucial for effective treatment and tracking resistance.
- National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) provides guidelines for pneumococcal susceptibility testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate clinical laboratory practices for Streptococcus pneumoniae susceptibility testing on sterile site isolates.
- To identify adherence to and deviations from NCCLS recommendations.
Main Methods:
- A multistate survey of clinical laboratories was conducted by the CDC in February 2000.
- The survey assessed laboratory practices against established NCCLS guidelines.
Main Results:
- The majority of clinical laboratories demonstrated practices consistent with NCCLS recommendations.
- Some inconsistencies in susceptibility testing practices were identified.
Conclusions:
- While most labs follow guidelines, emerging antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae necessitates continuous monitoring.
- Laboratories must stay updated on NCCLS recommendations to provide accurate susceptibility data to clinicians.