Production of betalactamase by respiratory tract bacteria in children: relationship to antibiotic use.
Sales of antibiotics have increased in Sweden during the past decade. This has been paralleled by an increase in the frequency of beta-lactamase-producing respiratory tract bacteria. To investigate the effects of regional differences in use of antibiotics on beta-lactamase production in respiratory tract bacteria, we collected nasopharyngeal specimens and information about antibiotic use from 1133 children attending day-care centres in four rural municipalities with low use, and one urban municipality with high use of antibiotics, use being assessed from pharmacy sales. The frequency of beta-lactamase production among isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis and Moraxella nonliquefaciens was significantly higher in the urban municipality. This appeared to be a long-term ecological effect of differences in the level of use of antibiotics between the urban and rural populations, rather than an effect of recent antibiotic treatment of individual patients.
Mölstad
S
S
Community Health Centre, Höör, Sweden.
Arvidsson
E
E
Eliasson
I
I
Hovelius
B
B
Kamme
C
C
Schalén
C
C
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009016:Moraxella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012424:Rural Population; D013548:Sweden; D014505:Urban Population; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001618:beta-Lactamases