[Relationship between bacterial sensitivity to antimicrobial agents and their consumption (author's transl)]

Computerized data on the sensitivity of 20,006 strains of Gram-negative bacilli to ampicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, tobramycin, nalidixic acid and co-trimoxazole were collected and evaluated in relation to drug consumption and hospital activity. Despite species-related differences, global sensitivity increased from 1975 to 1978 by 44.8% for cephalotin, 14.4% for ampicillin, 7.1% for gentamicin and 4.8% for tobramycin. There was no change in sensitivity to nalidixic acid and co-trimoxazole. During the same period the consumption of cephalosporins and aminoglycosides decreased by 28% and 21% respectively. Following a decrease between 1975 and 1977, the consumption of ampicillin and of nalidixic acid (and related compounds) went up again to reach in 1978 the same level as in 1975. Co-trimoxazole consumption remained unchanged. Since hospital activity remained the same throughout the period under study, it seems justified to correlate the increase in bacterial sensitivity observed to the decrease in consumption of antimicrobial agents.