title: What have we learnt from community-acquired infections in Hong Kong?
abstract: This study was initiated throughout Hong Kong, to reveal the characteristics of community-acquired infections. All specimens collected by general practitioners from infected patients were followed prospectively, and those that were culture-positive were analysed. Four thousand seven hundred and forty-one specimens were collected from 3977 patients by 89 doctors from July 2000 to October 2001. The most common specimens were throat swabs (33%), urine (26%) and sputa (16%). The average culture-positive rate was 28%. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli (18%), beta-haemolytic streptococci (15%) and Staphylococcus aureus (12%). Fluoroquinolone resistance was relatively high (up to 35%) in organisms commonly causing urinary tract infection (E. coli, Proteus and Morganella). Although none of the pneumococci was resistant to penicillin 1 mg/L, the proportion with intermediate resistance (0.1-1 mg/L) was alarming (81%). There were three strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus. A decrease in ampicillin resistance but a high prevalence of macrolide resistance were noted in Haemophilus influenzae. All Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were resistant to penicillin, up to 79% to the fluoroquinolones, 15% to spectinomycin, but all were susceptible to ceftriaxone. Respiratory pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, beta-haemolytic streptococci and H. influenzae) were relatively susceptible to the newer fluoroquinolones (0-2%, 0.5-6% and 2% resistant, respectively) or third-generation cephalosporins (0-2% resistant). The distribution of organisms and their antibiotic resistance varied over time. Thus frequent surveillance is needed to provide information on the drugs of choice for different infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China. meilunling@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents