Changing antibiotic sensitivity patterns at a university hospital, 1992 through 1999.
BACKGROUND
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms is of great concern in the medical community. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns were studied at a large university hospital.


METHODS
From 1992 through 1999, susceptibility testing was done and results recorded for all isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus sp, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Eshcherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiologic and sensitivity data were reviewed and compiled.


RESULTS
Over the 8-year period, several common bacterial pathogens declined in susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents. Most notable were the decreased sensitivities of S pneumoniae to penicillin (96% to 63%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus to oxacillin (50% to 38%), and P aeruginosa to aminoglycosides [(gentamicin (85% to 64%), tobramycin (96% to 83%), amikacin (92% to 74%)] and ciprofloxacin (85% to 69%).


CONCLUSIONS
These decreased antibiotic sensitivities reflect increased bacterial selection pressure as a result of widespread antibiotic use. A combined approach involving infection-control specialists, infectious disease physicians, and hospital administrators is necessary to address this increasingly difficult problem.
Chan-Tack
K M
KM
Department of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, 65212, USA.
D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006785:Hospitals, University; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008923:Missouri