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Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from a paediatric population in Great Britain and

J Shackcloth1, L Williams, D J Farrell

  • 1GR Micro Limited, 7-9 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK. j.shackcloth@grmicro.co.uk

The Journal of Infection
|March 6, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study assessed antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes in children from Great Britain and Ireland. Telithromycin showed high effectiveness against these bacteria, including resistant strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance in pediatric Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes is a growing concern.
  • Understanding resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment of community-acquired respiratory tract infections (CARTI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes from children in Great Britain and Ireland.
  • To assess the efficacy of the new oral ketolide, telithromycin, against these pathogens.
  • To determine the prevalence of macrolide resistance genes in erythromycin-resistant isolates.

Main Methods:

  • Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were determined using NCCLS microbroth dilution.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was employed to investigate macrolide resistance mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Penicillin susceptibility was high (92.6% for S. pneumoniae, 100% for S. pyogenes).
  • Erythromycin resistance was observed in 8.8% of S. pneumoniae and 2.5% of S. pyogenes.
  • Telithromycin demonstrated excellent in vitro activity, with 100% susceptibility in S. pneumoniae and 99.8% in S. pyogenes, including erythromycin-resistant strains.
  • Mef (A) and erm (B) were the primary macrolide resistance genes identified in S. pneumoniae, while erm (A) subclass erm (TR), erm (B), and mef (A) were found in S. pyogenes.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides essential baseline data on penicillin and macrolide resistance in pediatric S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes in Great Britain and Ireland.
  • Telithromycin exhibits potent in vitro activity against these key respiratory pathogens, including erythromycin-resistant isolates, supporting its use in CARTI treatment for eligible patients.
Abstract

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