title: Susceptibility of 1100 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated in 1997 from seven Latin American and Caribbean countries. Laser Study Group.
abstract: The antimicrobial susceptibility to beta-lactam and non-beta-lactam agents of 1100 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae recovered in 1997 from 16 centres in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and West Indies was studied using E-test and disk diffusion methods. A total of 23.6% of isolates had raised penicillin MICs (16.7% intermediate and 6.9% resistant). The susceptibility of the other agents tested, from most active to least active, were, amoxycillin/clavulanate (99.5% susceptible); chloramphenicol (93.2%); cefotaxime (91.7%); erythromycin (87.1%); tetracycline (74.6%); trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) (55.4%); and cefaclor (52.8%). The highest proportion of strains resistant to penicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline and TMP-SMZ was found in strains from Mexico while resistance to these agents was lowest in strains from the West Indies. Prevalence of penicillin resistance (including intermediate and resistant isolates) in each of the countries, from highest to lowest was, Mexico (40.8%); Chile (31.3%); Panama (23.0%); Venezuela (21.9%); Argentina (19.1%); Brazil (12.9%); and West Indies (7.1%). Based on current levels of antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae in Latin American and Caribbean countries, continued surveillance efforts are necessary in order to guide clinical empiric treatment and provide for judicious use of antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. mrj6@po.cwru.edu
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007769:Lactams / Q000494:pharmacology; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007769:Lactams