title: Patterns of antibiotic resistance, serotype distribution, and patient demographics of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Hong Kong.
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from clinical specimens during the period 1993-1997 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, were analysed by the antibiotic resistance profiles, the distribution of serotypes, specimen types, and patient demographics. 1,229 non-duplicate S. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated; 84% from the respiratory tract, 11% from blood and cerebrospinal fluid and the remainder from body fluids and pus swabs. The percentage of S. pneumoniae of reduced penicillin susceptibility was 38.6%, and the percentage resistance to erythromycin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and tetracycline were 40.4, 43.2, 54.9 and 77.8%, respectively. The organism was isolated from patients of all age groups, 14.6% from children aged below 10 years, half of whom were from children aged 2 years or below. 57.0% were from elderly patients aged above 60. The male to female ratio was 2.5:1. Isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility were seen significantly more so in children under 10 than in those aged 11 or above (52 versus 36%, p < 0.0001). A diverse range of serotypes was obtained in the penicillin-susceptible isolates whilst those of reduced susceptibility were confined to serotypes 23F, 19F, 6B, 14 and 9V.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. margaretip@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents