Trends in anti-bacterial resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in the USA, 2000-2003: PROTEKT US years 1-3.
OBJECTIVE
To determine geographic and temporal trends in anti-bacterial resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from patients with respiratory tract infections as part of the PROTEKT US surveillance study (2000-2003).


METHODS
From 2000 to 2003, 31 001 isolates of S. pneumoniae were collected. Anti-bacterial minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined at a central laboratory using the CLSI broth microdilution method. Macrolide resistance genotypes were determined by PCR.


RESULTS
Overall, 29.4, 22.5, 0.9, and 0.02% of S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to erythromycin, penicillin, levofloxacin, and telithromycin, respectively, with considerable regional variability. Multidrug resistance was stable at approx. 31%. Among macrolide-resistant isolates, mef(A) was the most prevalent resistance gene identified; however, the percentage of isolates with this gene decreased from 68.8% (2000) to 63.9% (2003), while the prevalence of isolates containing both the erm(B) and mef(A) genes increased (2000, 9.7%; 2003, 16.4%). Over 90% of these erm(B)+mef(A)-positive isolates were also resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while 98.6% were susceptible to levofloxacin and 99.1% were susceptible to telithromycin.


CONCLUSIONS
Penicillin and erythromycin resistance among isolates of S. pneumoniae from the U.S.A. remained high over the 3 years of the study. Telithromycin demonstrated potent in vitro activity against pneumococcal strains.
Jenkins
Stephen G
SG
Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. stephen.jenkins@mountsinai.org
Farrell
David J
DJ
Patel
Manish
M
Lavin
Bruce S
BS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D048628:Ketolides / Q000494:pharmacology; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D014481:United States
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D048628:Ketolides; D018942:Macrolides; C117866:MefA protein, Streptococcus; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008780:Methyltransferases; C431709:ErmA protein, Bacteria; C106791:telithromycin