Antibiotic prescribing and penicillin-resistant pneumococci in a Merseyside Health District.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the effects of antibiotic prescribing changes in the community on the prevalence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.


METHODS
Penicillin-resistant pneumococci were isolated from clinical samples taken from 549 patients between January 1987 and December 2000. Changes in the percentage of penicillin-resistant pneumococci isolated over the 14-year period and changes in prescribing practices were determined.


RESULTS
Between January 1987 and December 2000, the prevalence of penicillin resistant pneumococci increased from 1.4% to a peak of 12.9% in 1997, subsequently falling to 8.9% after changes in antibiotic prescribing practices in the community. Over 65% of isolates were community acquired with 53% of patients having received antibiotics in the 3 months prior to their first isolate. Thirteen patients had a history of recent travel abroad.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduction in antibiotic prescribing in general practice was followed by a reduction in the prevalence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.
Vardhan
M S
MS
Department of Microbiology, Whiston Hospital, Prescot, Merseyside, L35 5DR, UK.
Allen
K D
KD
Bennett
E
E
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010820:Physicians; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins