Antimicrobial susceptibilities of 930 Haemophilus influenzae clinical strains isolated from the island of Crete, Greece.
BACKGROUND
Haemophilus influenzae is an important human pathogen.


METHODS
The purpose of the present retrospective study is to describe the antibiotic susceptibility to several common antibiotics of 930 consecutive clinical isolates of H. influenzae over the period of 1996-2005 in a tertiary general hospital on the island of Crete, Greece.


RESULTS
Overall, 9.5% of the isolates were beta-lactamase producing. Resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate was observed in 11 and 0.6% of the strains, respectively, remaining stable throughout the study period. Resistance to tetracycline increased from 1.6% in 1996 to 38% in 2005, while resistance to ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin was <1%. A significant decrease in resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was observed during the study period. No significant changes in resistance to other antimicrobials were seen.


CONCLUSIONS
Amoxicillin-clavulanate and older quinolones remain potent agents against H. influenzae. Constant surveillance ofantibiotic susceptibility of H. influenzae clinical isolates is important in order to guide appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy.
Kofteridis
D P
DP
Infectious Diseases Unit, Division of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. kofterid@med.uoc.gr
Notas
G
G
Maraki
S
S
Anastasopoulos
T
T
Papazoglou
G
G
Zisiou
A T
AT
Mantadakis
E
E
Samonis
G
G
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents