title: Korean nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in 2000 with special reference to vancomycin resistance in enterococci, and expanded-spectrum cephalosporin and imipenem resistance in gram-negative bacilli.
abstract: Antimicrobial resistance surveillance is necessary to determine the size of the problem and to guide empirical selection of antimicrobial agents for treating infected patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of susceptibility tests performed by hospitals participating in the Korean Nationwide Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (KONSAR) program. The rates of oxacillin-resistant staphylococci, penicillin-nonsusceptible pneumococci, and ampicillin-resistant E. faecium were over 70%. Ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae increased to 68%. Expanded-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant K. pneumoniae, fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli, and imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa remained at 16% through 27%, depending on the species. The proportions of vancomycin- resistant E. faecium and imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were 18 - 24% and 19-21%, respectively, indicating the seriousness of antimicrobial resistance. In conclusion, the increasing prevalence of resistant bacteria indicates that more concerted effort is required to conserve the usefulness of precious new antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea. leekcp@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: Kyung Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Moon Yeun
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jung Oak
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Eui Chong
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Yeal
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yun Sop
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D015378:Imipenem / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007723:Korea; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D015378:Imipenem