Susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin, azithromycin and telithromycin (PROTEKT 1999–2003)

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 26; no. 6; pp. 479 - 485
• Main Authors: Schito, G.C., Felmingham, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 01.12.2005; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial resistance; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Azithromycin - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Global Health; Humans; Ketolides - pharmacology; Macrolides; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Penicillin; Penicillins - pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumococcal Infections - microbiology; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Streptococcus pneumoniae - drug effects; Telithromycin; Telithromycin; Antibacterial resistance; Macrolides; Penicillin; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Azithromycin; Macrolide; Infection; Penicillin derivatives; Resistance; Streptococcaceae; Antibiotic; Sensitivity; Streptococcal infection; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Antibacterial agent; Ketolide; Pneumococcal infection
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.04.022

Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae collected over the first 4 years of the PROTEKT study were tested for susceptibility to penicillin, azithromycin and telithromycin. A total of 20 750 isolates were collected from 39 countries. Penicillin non-susceptibility rates were stable over the study period; overall, 21.8% of isolates were resistant. Azithromycin resistance increased from 31.0% in Year 1 to 36.3% in Year 4. Resistance rates for penicillin and azithromycin varied between countries and were highest in France, Spain, South Africa, USA and the Far East. Multidrug resistance in S. pneumoniae did not change significantly over the 4 years, with an overall rate of 38.6%. Telithromycin retained good activity against S. pneumoniae (0.1% of isolates resistant), including multidrug-resistant isolates.