Antimicrobial susceptibility in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, two bacterial pathogens commonly associated with community-acquired pneumonia.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Bacterial isolates were obtained from adults suspected to have community-acquired pneumonia and who sought treatment at two city council clinics in Nairobi, Kenya. Susceptibility to antimicrobial agents was performed using a microdilution broth method, according to the criteria set by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards.


RESULTS
A total of 277 S. pneumoniae and 58 H. influenzae were obtained from 536 adults examined in the period January 1998 to December 1999. Of the 277 S. pneumoniae, only 56.7% were susceptible to penicillin and 7.6% of strains were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. Of the 58 H. influenzae strains, 91.4% were sensitive to ampicillin, with 6.8% resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. 8.6% were beta-lactamase producers and accounted for the entire ampicillin-resistant population.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of resistance to penicillin and other commonly used antibiotics among pneumococci is high and the large number of multi-resistant strains among H. influenzae is a cause for concern. The prudent use of antibiotics in treatment of pneumonia and other infections should be advocated to minimise spread of resistance.
Kariuki
S
S
Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, PO Box 43640, Nairobi, Kenya.
Muyodi
J
J
Mirza
B
B
Mwatu
W
W
Daniels
J J D
JJ
D000328:Adult; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*