Penicillin-Resistant and -Intermediate Streptococcus pneumoniae in Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Journal of chemotherapy (Florence) Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 134 - 137
• Main Authors: Shibl, A.M., Rasheed, A.M. Al, Elbashier, A.M., Osoba, A.O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Firenze Taylor & Francis 01-04-2000; EIFT
• Subjects: Amoxicillin - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Ceftriaxone - pharmacology; Cefuroxime - pharmacology; Cephalosporins - pharmacology; Clarithromycin - pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Penicillin Resistance; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumococcal Infections - epidemiology; Pneumococcal Infections - microbiology; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Streptococcus pneumoniae - classification; Streptococcus pneumoniae - drug effects; Saudi Arabia; Asia; Human; Clarithromycin; Enzyme; Clavulanic acid; β-Lactams; Enzyme inhibitor; Ceftriaxone; β-Lactamase; In vitro; Macrolide; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Penicillin derivatives; Streptococcaceae; Cefuroxime; Antibiotic; Cephalosporin derivatives; Sensitivity resistance; Amoxicillin; Penicillin; Bacteria; Hydrolases; Micrococcales; Antibacterial agent; Clinical isolate
• ISSN: 1120-009X; 1973-9478
• DOI: 10.1179/joc.2000.12.2.134

The antibiotic susceptibility was analyzed of approximately 400 consecutive isolates of S. pneumoniae isolated from different regions of Saudi Arabia. Most of these isolates were from respiratory (sputum, otitis, 53.8%), blood/CSF (26.3%) and ophthalmic (20%) specimens. Overall 6.2% of the isolates were penicillin-resistant (MICs ≥2 (μg/ml) and 51.2% were -intermediate (MICs 0.1-1 μg/ml). The resistance rates to cefuroxime, clarithromycin and cef-triaxone were 14.9%, 14.8% and 4.5% respectively. Only 3.5% of S. pneumoniae showed resistance to amoxycillin/clavulanic acid. The MICs of all tested antibiotics increased as did the penicillin MICs. Penicillin resistance was significantly associated with resistance to cefuroxime (p<0.001) but not with the others. These data indicate the presence of penicillin and multiple-resistant pneu-mococci in Saudi Arabia and that these strains can spread among individuals. A greater awareness with extended indications for microbiological diagnosis, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and restrictive prescription of antibiotics are needed.