Increased resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates to antimicrobial drugs, at a referral hospital in north-west Ethiopia.
Beta lactam antibiotics were very effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, resistance to this class of antibiotics has become an increasing problem. Reports of penicillin resistant and multidrug resistant strains are being made in many parts of the world. We examined the drug sensitivity pattern of S. pneumoniae isolates in a retrospective analysis of laboratory records of S. pneumoniae isolates between March 2001 and April 2005 at Gondar University Hospital, Ethiopia. A significant proportion of the isolates were found to be resistant to one or more of the commonly used antibiotics. Furthermore, the isolates appear to be acquiring an increasing resistance to crystalline penicillin, cotrimoxazole and ampicillin. This situation needs immediate attention.
Erqou
Sebhat
S
Downing College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1DQ, UK. sebhaterqou@googlemail.com
Kebede
Yenew
Y
Mulu
Andargachew
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents