Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Finland, 1987-1990.
A nationwide survey of the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from the middle ear fluid of children with acute otitis media (639 strains) and from throat-swab samples of healthy children (149 strains) was conducted in Finland during 1987-1990. The MICs of penicillin, cephalothin, cefaclor, erythromycin, trimethoprim, and co-trimoxazole were determined by the agar dilution method. Low-level resistance to penicillin (MIC, 0.1-1 microgram/mL) was found in 1.7% of the otitis-related and 1.3% of the healthy-carrier strains. No highly penicillin-resistant strains (MIC, > or = 2 micrograms/mL) were found. Six multiresistant strains were detected, three of them possibly belonging to a previously identified clone present in Finland since 1985. Eighty-five percent of the resistant otitis-related strains, including 9 of the 11 moderately penicillin-resistant strains (4 of which were multiresistant), belonged to the three most common serogroups (6, 19, and 23).
Nissinen
A
A
Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, National Public Health Institute, Turku, Oulu.
Leinonen
M
M
Huovinen
P
P
Herva
E
E
Katila
M L
ML
Kontiainen
S
S
Liimatainen
O
O
Oinonen
S
S
Takala
A K
AK
Mäkelä
P H
PH
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors