title: Surveillance of linezolid resistance in Germany, 2001-2002.
abstract: A surveillance study was performed throughout Germany from November 2001 to June 2002 to assess the prevalence of linezolid-resistant isolates among Gram-positive bacteria from routine susceptibility data and to compare the in-vitro activity of linezolid to that of other antibacterial agents. Each of 86 laboratories provided routine susceptibility data for 100 consecutive isolates. Most laboratories (c. 60%) used the disk diffusion test. Laboratories were also requested to send a representative sample of their isolates, as well as all isolates reported as intermediate or resistant to linezolid, to a reference laboratory for MIC determination. Susceptibility data for 8594 isolates were evaluated. Sites of infection were skin and soft tissue (29.9%), upper and lower respiratory tract (19.1%), foreign body or catheter (10.5%), or urinary tract (9.8%). Routine linezolid susceptibility data were reported for 6433 isolates. The prevalence of linezolid resistance, as reported to the clinician, was 0.4% in Staphylococcus aureus, 0.3% in Staphylococcus epidermidis, 2.9% in Enterococcus faecalis, 2.3% in Enterococcus faecium, 1.4% in Streptococcus pyogenes and 2.9% in Streptococcus agalactiae. Linezolid resistance was not detected in Streptococcus pneumoniae or in viridans group streptococci. Sixty-nine of 115 isolates reported as intermediate or resistant to linezolid were retested, but none was resistant to linezolid. Linezolid exhibited excellent in-vitro activity against representative isolates of the six most frequently encountered species (MIC90, 1-2 mg/L). The prevalence of resistance to linezolid was very low in Germany. Organisms reported as linezolid-resistant should be retested, either in the same laboratory with an alternative method or in a reference laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Antiinfectives Intelligence GmbH, Bonn, Germany. johannes.brauers@antiinfectives-intelligence.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brauers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kresken
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hafner
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D000069349:Linezolid; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011159:Population Surveillance
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D000069349:Linezolid