title: Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Southeast Austria, 1997-2008.
abstract: Antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae has increased worldwide but varies within geographical regions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of resistance in S. pneumoniae over a 12-year period to assess local and temporal trends in antibacterial resistance. From 1997 to 2008, a total of 1814 non-duplicate S. pneumoniae isolates were identified at the Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria. Antibiotic resistance was determined by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) disk diffusion test. For penicillin, the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by Etest. Susceptibility was defined according to CLSI interpretive criteria. For penicillin, resistance rates were consistently low at 0.2% over the 12-year study period. An increase in resistance was remarkable for erythromycin (3.5% in 1997; 14.7% in 2008), clindamycin (1.8% in 1997; 10.6% in 2008) and tetracycline (1.8% in 2000; 11.0% in 2008). For trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, resistance increased slightly to 9.2% in 2008. Quinolones showed a low resistance rate of 0.2% that persisted over the whole study period. In contrast to previously published national data, resistance to penicillin was observed to remain at a remarkably low and constant level. Although international surveillance programmes have set up sustainable and interlinked data networks, our results suggest that regional surveillance may still be needed as decision support for appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy in the local health setting.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Division of Pulmonology, Medical University of Graz, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoenigl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fussi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feierl
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wagner-Eibel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masoud
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarfel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marth
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Grisold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001317:Austria; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents