title: Antimicrobial susceptibility of invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Ireland.
abstract: Between January 1999 and June 2002, 646 invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were collected in Ireland. MICs of penicillin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, moxifloxacin and linezolid were determined by Etest methodology. Eighty-seven (13.5%) isolates showed intermediate resistance to penicillin, while seven (1.1%) showed high-level resistance. Eighty-seven (13.5%) isolates were resistant to erythromycin, but all isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, moxifloxacin and linezolid. The prevalence of pneumococcal isolates non-susceptible to penicillin in Ireland is worryingly high, but currently there are alternative agents available to treat invasive infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murchan
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Humphreys
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004917:Erythromycin