title: Emergence of a high-level cefotaxime-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strain in New Zealand.
abstract: An increase in the number of cefotaxime-resistant pneumococci referred for surveillance to a central laboratory in New Zealand occurred in 1997-1998. The MIC of cefotaxime for 113 of 216 cefotaxime-resistant isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae referred was > or = 4 mg/L. Most of the 113 isolates exhibited the same antibiotic resistance pattern and belonged to serotype 19F. To investigate the genetic relatedness of the isolates, 48 serotype 19F pneumococci with varying susceptibility to cefotaxime were further typed by macro-restriction analysis by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. These results suggested that a multiresistant 19F strain of S. pneumoniae with high-level cefotaxime resistance had emerged from a pre-existing serotype 19F strain.
authors.affiliation: Communicable Disease Group, Institute of Environmental Science & Research, PO Box 50-348, Porirua, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Maggie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Brett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000378:metabolism; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; C025651:CCCGGG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D002439:Cefotaxime