title: The status of antimicrobial resistance in Taiwan among gram-negative pathogens: the Taiwan surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (TSAR) program, 2000.
abstract: In a nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance, TSAR), isolates were collected from 21 medical centers and regional hospitals throughout Taiwan over a three-month period in 2000 (TSAR II). This report summarizes susceptibility data of 7 common Gram-negative bacilli (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii) in the TSAR II collection and compared selected key forms of resistance by epidemiologic factors and with isolates collected in 1998 (TSAR I) as well as with data from international surveillance studies. Resistance of the 5 Enterobacteriaceae species to most of the commonly prescribed "first-line" antimicrobials in Taiwan, such as ampicillin (78% in E. coli, 68% in P. mirabilis), gentamicin (19% in K. pneumonia to 66% in S. marcescens), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (29% in K. pneumoniae to 70% in P. mirabilis), was high, several of which are higher than other countries. Resistance to certain broad-spectrum antimicrobials is also more acute in Taiwan than most Western countries, such as ceftazidime resistant A. baumannii (73%) and ciprofloxacin resistant E. coli (12%). Differences in geographic regions and specimen types were associated with certain forms of resistance in TSAR II; however, the resistance problem is prevalent among both inpatients and outpatients of not only medical centers but also regional hospitals throughout Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. lauderdale@nhri.org.tw
authors.forename: Tsai-Ling
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lauderdale
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clifford McDonald
authors.forename: Yih-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Shiau
authors.forename: Pei-Chen
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jui-Fen
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Monto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents