Patterns of Antibiotic Resistance, Serotype Distribution, and Patient Demographics of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Hong Kong

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Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from clinical specimens during the period 1993–1997 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, were analysed by the antibiotic resistance profiles, the distribution of serotypes, specimen types, and patient demographics. 1,229 non-duplicate S. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated; 84% from the respiratory tract, 11% from blood and cerebrospinal fluid and the remainder from body fluids and pus swabs. The percentage of S. pneumoniae of reduced penicillin susceptibility was 38.6%, and the percentage resistance to erythromycin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and tetracycline were 40.4, 43.2, 54.9 and 77.8%, respectively. The organism was isolated from patients of all age groups, 14.6% from children aged below 10 years, half of whom were from children aged 2 years or below. 57.0% were from elderly patients aged above 60. The male to female ratio was 2.5:1. Isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility were seen significantly more so in children under 10 than in those aged 11 or above (52 versus 36%, p < 0.0001). A diverse range of serotypes was obtained in the penicillin-susceptible isolates whilst those of reduced susceptibility were confined to serotypes 23F, 19F, 6B, 14 and 9V.