title: Antimicrobial resistance among Brazilian Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains.
abstract: The increasing problems with multidrug resistance in relation to Corynebacterium, including C. diphtheriae, are examples of challenges confronting many countries. For this reason, Brazilian C. diphtheriae strains were evaluated by the E-Test for their susceptibility to nine antibacterial drugs used in therapy. Resistance (MIC < 0.002; 0.38 microg/ml) to penicillin G was found in 14.8% of the strains tested. Although erythromycin (MIC90 0.75 microg/ml) and azithromycin (MIC90 0.064 microg/ml) were active against C. diphtheriae in this study, 4.2% of the strains showed decreased susceptibility (MIC 1.0 microg/ml) to erythromycin. Multiple resistance profiles were determined by the disk diffusion method using 31 antibiotics. Most C. diphtheriae strains (95.74%) showed resistance to mupirocin, aztreonam, ceftazidime, and/or oxacillin, ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, clindamycin, lincomycin, and erythromycin. This study presents the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Brazilian C. diphtheriae isolates. The data are of value to practitioners, and suggest that some concern exists regarding the use of penicillin.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. gabiap30@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gabriela Andrade
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Fabrícia Pires
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.forename: Fátima Rejane Wink dos
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Paulo Vieira
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Damasco
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirata Júnior
authors.forename: Ana Luíza
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Mattos-Guaraldi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents