Rapid Increase of Pneumococcal Resistance to β‐Lactam and Other Antibiotics in Isolates from the Respiratory Tract (Nagasaki, Japan: 1975–1994)

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Abstract
The susceptibility of 101 pneumococcal isolates from the respiratory tract during 1991–1994 was examined and compared with the susceptibility of isolates over the period of 1975–1990. A rapid increase of resistance was seen not only to penicillin but also other antimicrobial agents. During 1991–1994, 38% of all the isolates were resistant to penicillin. The rates of resistance during this period were 16–23% for three newer cephalosporins, 18% for imipenem, 69% for tetracycline, 31% for erythromycin, 20% for chloramphenicol and 9% for clindamycin. The use of antibiotics within one month prior to pneumococcal isolation was correlated with penicillin resistance (P < 0.05). Serotyping of the isolates by antiserum revealed differences in predominant types between penicillin‐resistant (19F, 23F, 4) and ‐susceptible isolates (15, 4, 11A). Our data suggests that anti‐pneumococcal antibiotics should be carefully chosen on the basis of susceptibility tests.