[Resistance surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a hospital in Santa Fe province, Argentina: 1997-2004].
Resistance phenotypes characterized by minimum inhibitory concentration, disk diffusion and beta-lactamase production were determined in 434 isolates from patients attending the Sexually Transmitted Disease Service at Dr. José Maria Cullen Hospital in Santa Fe, Argentina. Susceptibility tests to penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, espectinomycin, azithromycin and ceftriaxone were performed. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was conducted made to on three ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates. Epidemiologically speaking, three interesting events should be highlighted: during 1997, plasmid-mediated high level tetracycline-resistant strains were observed (33.3%); from 2002 to 2004 a significant increase of plasmid-mediated penicillin-resistant strains was registered (9.7% to 34.8%); and in the year 2000 the first two quinolone-resistant strains emerged in the province. In our hospital, the first azithromycin-resistant isolate emerged in 2004. We therefore emphasize the importance of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in order to provide information for the empiric treatment of this infection.
Méndez
E de los A
Ede L
Sección Microbiología, Laboratorio Central del Hospital Dr. Jose Maria Cullen, Avenida Freyre 2150 (3000) Santa Fe, Argentina. emilcemendez@gigared.com
Morano
S T
ST
Mollerach
A S
AS
Mendosa
M A
MA
Ahumada
C
C
Pagano
I
I
Oviedo
C
C
Galarza
P
P
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001118:Argentina; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents