title: Antibiotic sensitivity still prevails in Norwegian blood culture isolates.
abstract: We describe the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteraemia isolates from Norway. From March 1998 to February 1999, four university hospitals covering all parts of Norway collected their first 10 isolates each month. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined for: Enterobacteriaceae (n=192), staphylococci (n=89) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=69) using the Etest. NCCLS breakpoints were used. About 20% of all blood culture isolates in Norway in this period were investigated. Compared with countries outside Scandinavia antibiotic sensitivity still prevails. Only minor differences in resistance were found between participating hospitals, between hospital departments and between hospital- and community-acquired pathogens. The prudent use of antibiotics in Norway may contribute to the fact that antibiotic resistance still remains low in the most common bacterial pathogens causing bloodstream infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway. truls.leegaard@folkehelsa.no
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Leegaard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bevanger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jureen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lier
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Melby
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Caugant
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oddvar Frøholm
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Høiby
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009664:Norway
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media