Erythromycin or Clindamycin - is it Still an Empirical Therapy against Streptococcus agalactiae in Patients Allergic...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus) is a significant pathogen, particularly in pregnant women and neonates.
• Antibiotic susceptibility patterns are crucial for effective treatment and infection control.
• Previous data on S. agalactiae resistance in this region may be outdated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the antibiotic susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated between 2010 and 2013.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of current first-line antibiotics against S. agalactiae.
• To identify trends in antimicrobial resistance and potential epidemiological shifts.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for various antibiotics.
• Comparison of resistance rates between different patient groups (pregnant women/newborns vs. other hospitalized patients).

Main Results:

• Penicillin demonstrated continued effectiveness as a first-line antibiotic.
• High resistance rates to erythromycin (46-63%) and clindamycin (29-47%) were observed.
• Lower resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was noted in strains from infected pregnant women and newborns compared to other hospitalized patients.

Conclusions:

• Empirical treatment with erythromycin and clindamycin may be less effective due to high resistance rates.
• The observed resistance patterns suggest a potential shift in the S. agalactiae epidemiological landscape.
• Continued surveillance of antibiotic resistance is essential for guiding treatment strategies.