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Penicillin resistance in serogroups/serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae causing invasive infections in Central

Kingsley Twum-Danso1, Abdulrahman M Al-Mazrou, Abdel-Mageed M Kambal

  • 1College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ktwum@ksu.edu.sa

Saudi Medical Journal
|December 4, 2003
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is significant but mostly intermediate. Ceftriaxone shows minimal resistance, making it a potential treatment for invasive pneumococcal infections. A conjugate vaccine can aid prophylaxis.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) causes invasive diseases globally.
  • Antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae necessitates ongoing surveillance.
  • Understanding resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine antimicrobial susceptibility of S. pneumoniae isolates from invasive infections in Riyadh, KSA.
  • To evaluate minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin.
  • To assess the coverage of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine against penicillin-resistant strains.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective collection of S. pneumoniae isolates from 8 major hospitals in Riyadh (2000-2001).
  • Serogrouping/serotyping using the agglutination method.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing via E-test for penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin.

Main Results:

  • 43% of S. pneumoniae isolates exhibited penicillin resistance, predominantly intermediate (97%).
  • Penicillin resistance was concentrated in specific serogroups/serotypes (6, 23, 19, 15).
  • The 7-valent conjugate vaccine covered 76% of penicillin-resistant strains; only one isolate was ceftriaxone-resistant.

Conclusions:

  • Ceftriaxone is a viable option for treating non-central nervous system invasive pneumococcal infections due to low resistance.
  • The 7-valent conjugate vaccine can complement penicillin prophylaxis in at-risk populations.
  • Continued monitoring of S. pneumoniae antimicrobial resistance in KSA is recommended.

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