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.
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.
Lee
Kyung Won
KW
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
Kim
Moon Yeun
MY
Kang
Sung Ha
SH
Kang
Jung Oak
JO
Kim
Eui Chong
EC
Choi
Tae Yeal
TY
Chong
Yun Sop
YS
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
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D015378:Imipenem