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Human infection caused by penicillin-insensitive pneumococci
Abstract:
Three cases of infection, including two fatal ones, caused by pneumococci relatively resistant to penicillin are reported. The patients were a 19-year-old New Guinean with fatal multisegmental pneumonia, a 10-week-old Caucasian infant who died suddenly from purulent meningitis, and an Australian Aboriginal child aged two years with bronchiectasis complicated by pneumococcal bacteraemia. The pneumococci isolated (serotypes 6, 16 and 19) showed minimal inhibitory concentrations of penicillin G ranging from 0-1 microgram/ml to 1-0 microgram/ml (resistance ratios five to 50) and were also relatively resistant to penicillin V, methicillin, cloxacillin and cephalosporins.
Insights
Penicillin-resistant pneumococci caused severe infections, including two fatal cases of pneumonia and meningitis. These resistant strains also showed reduced susceptibility to other common antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pneumococcal infections remain a significant global health concern.
- The emergence of antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae poses a therapeutic challenge.
Observation:
- Three cases of severe pneumococcal infections are presented.
- Patients included a young adult with fatal pneumonia, an infant with fatal meningitis, and a child with bronchiectasis and bacteremia.
- The causative pneumococci (serotypes 6, 16, 19) exhibited relative resistance to penicillin G.
Findings:
- Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin G ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 microgram/ml (resistance ratios of 5-50).
- Isolates demonstrated cross-resistance to penicillin V, methicillin, cloxacillin, and cephalosporins.
- This indicates a broader resistance pattern beyond penicillin.
Implications:
- Highlights the clinical threat of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.
- Underscores the need for ongoing surveillance of antibiotic resistance patterns.
- Suggests potential limitations of current antibiotic treatment regimens for severe pneumococcal disease.