[Antibiotic resistance of blood culture isolates in Buskerud in 1994 and 1998].
BACKGROUND
The increase of antimicrobial resistance has caused general concern world-wide. There is a high risk that this development will also occur in Norway. Several efforts have been made to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. A national surveillance programme for antimicrobial resistance has been started, and new legislation has made resistance surveillance programmes compulsory in every Norwegian hospital. Local surveillance of resistance is among the most important measures.


METHODS
We have undertaken surveillance of all blood culture isolates from the County of Buskerud in 1994 and 1998. Detection of antibiotic resistance-patterns were undertaken for all blood culture isolates in the two years using disc diffusion method (Rosco diagnostics, Taastrup, Denmark). We also looked at the consumption of antimicrobial agents in Buskerud Central Hospital in 1998. A total of 628 isolates from 572 patients were included in the study, 279 isolates from 1994 and 349 from 1998.


RESULTS
We still have low occurrence of resistance in Buskerud, and there has been no significant increase during the four-year period.


CONCLUSIONS
The low prevalence of antibiotic resistance reflects the restrictive antibiotic policy in Norway. Therefore, we find it important to continue this policy and to continue close surveillance of the development of antibiotic resistance.
Christensen
A
A
Mikrobiologisk avdeling, Buskerud sentralsykehus, Drammen.
Scheel
O
O
Alme
V
V
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents