Serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae in West Germany

Two-hundred-and-six strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated in eight centers in West Germany. The prevalent serotypes were: 19, 3, 6, 7, 23 and 15. Seventy-five percent of the strains tested were antigenically identical to the pneumococcal types included in the 14-valent vaccine Pneumovax. Susceptibility testing revealed resistance to tetracycline (11% of the isolates), co-trimoxazole (7%) and chloramphenicol (2%). Seven percent of the isolates were relatively resistant to penicillin (MIC 0.1-1.0 mg/l).