Erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in Argentina.
Erythromycin (ERY) resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes has recently emerged as a problem of growing concern all through the world. We are presenting the comparison of results of the continuous surveillance of erythromycin resistance in S. pyogenes performed since 1989 in the Hospital de Pediatría J.P. Garrahan of Buenos Aires City, with independently observed rates in other five centers of Buenos Aires and seven centers of six other Argentinian cities, obtained between 1999 and 2001. A significant increase of erythromycin resistance was observed among S. pyogenes isolated in the Hospital Garrahan (6.6% in 1998-1999 to 9.9% in 2000). Similar trends were also detected in other centers of other Argentinian cities when recent data were compared to results of a multicenter study performed in 1995. However, lower rates of resistance were recorded in Mendoza, Cipolletti and Neuquén in comparison with data of 1995, 1998 and 1998 respectively. The reason of such decreasing resistance rates deserves to be investigated. The average of ERY-resistance rates obtained in the surveyed centers was 6.7% (range 0.5-14.1%). Control of antimicrobial use should be performed to warrant the future effectiveness of macrolide antibiotics regarding the positive association between use and resistance. These results also suggest that susceptibility tests for macrolides should be performed whenever S. pyogenes is isolated in Argentina.
Lopardo
Horacio A
HA
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital de Pediatría Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. hlopardo@garrahan.gov.ar
Hernandez
Claudia
C
Vidal
Patricia
P
Vazquez
Miryam
M
Rosaenz
Liliana
L
Rubinstein
Gabriela
G
Smayevsky
Jorgelina
J
Tokumoto
Marta
M
Fernandez Lausi
Adriana
A
Daher
Omar
O
Kaufman
Sara
S
Soriano
Silvia V
SV
Brasili
Susana
S
Bottiglieri
Marina
M
Carranza
Maria Cristina
MC
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001118:Argentina; D002648:Child; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004917:Erythromycin