Trends in antimicrobial drug resistance in Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi and Paratyphi A isolated in Europe, 1999-2001.
Results of antimicrobial sensitivity tests for strains of Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi and Paratyphi A isolated from patients in ten European countries between 1999 and 2001 have been transferred electronically to the Enter-net surveillance hub. For Typhi between 22 and 29% of isolates were multiresistant (to four drugs or more) with decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC 0.25-1.0 mg/l) increasing from 20% in 1999 to 26% in 2001. Nineteen of 169 (11%) strains with decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility were sensitive to nalidixic acid. For Paratyphi A multiple resistance increased from 9% in 1999 to 25% in 2001 and decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility from 6 to 17%. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of treatment failures when fluoroquinolones are used as the first-line drug for infections with Typhi and Paratyphi A, particularly for patients recently returning from areas where drug-resistant strains are endemic.
Threlfall
E J
EJ
Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Service Division, Health Protection Agency, Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK. john.threlfall@hpa.org.uk
Fisher
I S T
IS
Berghold
C
C
Gerner-Smidt
P
P
Tschäpe
H
H
Cormican
M
M
Luzzi
I
I
Schnieder
F
F
Wannet
W
W
Machado
J
J
Edwards
G
G
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D019779:Salmonella enterica / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012703:Serotyping
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin