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Emergence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae--southern Ontario, Canada, 1993-1994
Abstract:
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of infectious disease-related illness and death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 3000 cases of meningitis, 50,000 cases of bacteremia, 50,000 cases of pneumonia, and 7 million cases of acute otitis media each year. Penicillin has been the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of infections caused by S. pneumoniae; since the mid-1980s, the prevalence of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae has increased substantially worldwide. In Canada, a strain of pneumococcus with reduced susceptibility to penicillin was first reported in 1974; based on surveys during 1977-1990, rates of resistance to penicillin were 2.4%, 1.5%, and 1.3% in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, respectively. To determine whether the prevalence of penicillin resistance had increased among pneumococcal isolates, investigators from the University of Toronto tested the susceptibility of strains collected from a Toronto hospital and from a surrounding region in southern Ontario during June-December 1993 and March-June 1994. This report summarizes the results of this investigation.
Insights
Penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is a growing global concern. This study investigated the increasing prevalence of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae in Toronto and southern Ontario, Canada.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae causes significant illness and death, including meningitis, pneumonia, and otitis media.
- Penicillin, the primary treatment for S. pneumoniae infections, faces increasing resistance worldwide.
- Penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae strains were first identified in Canada in 1974, with varying resistance rates reported in the late 20th century.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current prevalence of penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates.
- To determine if resistance rates have increased since previous surveys in Canada.
Main Methods:
- Susceptibility testing was performed on pneumococcal isolates.
- Strains were collected from a Toronto hospital and the surrounding southern Ontario region.
- Data collection occurred between June-December 1993 and March-June 1994.
Main Results:
- The study aimed to quantify the prevalence of penicillin resistance in S. pneumoniae.
- Results from the 1993-1994 surveys are detailed in the full report.
Conclusions:
- The findings are crucial for understanding the evolving landscape of antibiotic resistance.
- This research informs treatment guidelines and public health strategies for pneumococcal infections.