Antibiotic susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Karachi.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate, record and analyse the comparative activity of a range of oral antibiotics against Streptococcus pneumoniae.


METHODS
Specimen collected at a private laboratory and some received from different hospitals and clinics.


METHODS
The specimen comprised of Sputum, Throat Swabs, C.S.F., Pus, Pleural fluid, Ear Swabs, Eye Swabs, Bronchial Wash, Prostatic discharge and Antral Secretions.


METHODS
The isolates were tested for their antibiotic susceptibility using the E-test by the methods described in the study protocol. The groups of antibiotics tested were Amoxicillin--Clavulanate, Clarithromycin, Cefaclor, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone and Penicillin.


RESULTS
A total of 116 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated and susceptibility to Amoxicillin-Clavulanate was 100%, 99.1% strains were susceptible to Cefuroxime and 0.9% were intermediate. Susceptibility to Penicillin was 80.2% and 19.8% of the strains were in intermediate category, while susceptibility to Clarithromycin was 89.7%, 1.7% were in intermediate region and 8.6% of the strains were resistant to this antibiotic. The susceptibility pattern of Cefaclor was not calculated as there is no current NCCLS--97 Cefaclor breakpoints available.


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae was negligible in Karachi during the study period, however it is important to monitor the susceptibility pattern to keep a check on an increase in the number of DRSP as reported at different centres in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
Rehman
N
N
Ahmad
S I
SI
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents