Penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Harare, Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates to penicillin and other antimicrobial drugs.


METHODS
This was a laboratory based study.


METHODS
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Zimbabwe and the Bacteriology Unit, Public Health Laboratories, Harare.


METHODS
71 S. pneumoniae isolates from Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals.


METHODS
Penicillin resistance, MIC of penicillin to S. pneumoniae, multi-drug resistance.


RESULTS
71 S. pneumoniae isolates were tested for their susceptibilities to penicillin G, erythromycin, tetracycline, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Five (7%) of the isolates were resistant to penicillin G and were also all resistant to erythromycin. Isolates resistant to other antibiotics were; tetracycline (4), ampicillin (3) and ciprofloxacin (2). The five isolates that were resistant to penicillin G showed resistance to two or more antibiotics. Four S. pneumoniae isolates were designated highly resistant to penicillin (MIC > or = 2 micrograms/ml) and one isolate was designated intermediate in resistance to penicillin (MIC between 0.1 and 1.0 microgram/ml).


CONCLUSIONS
A low percentage of S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to penicillin and were also resistant to erythromycin. The penicillin resistant strains showed multi-drug resistance.
Simango
C
C
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Medical School, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Mvududu
F
F
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D004917:Erythromycin; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014504:Urban Health; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004917:Erythromycin