Chloramphenicol and penicillin resistance in pneumococci isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid: a prevalence study in metropolitan Denver

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
From Jan.-Oct. 1981, blood and CSF pneumococcal isolates from 101 patients in the Denver, Colorado area were screened. Isolates from 7 patients (6.9%) showed relative resistance to penicillin, with minimal inhibitory concentrations [MIC] ranging from 0.12-1.0 .mu.g/ml. Two isolates (2.0%) were resistant to chloramphenicol, both with a MIC of 16 .mu.g/ml; one of these was multiply resistant (to penicillin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline). All isolates were susceptible to erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and rifampin. On the basis of penicillin susceptibilities performed by participating hospitals on the isolates from 215 patients in the Denver area (101 included in the survey, 114 not included), the rate of relative resistance to penicillin was estimated to be .apprx. 4.3%. Compared with resistance rates reported in a previous study in Denver, these penicillin and chloramphenicol resistance rates may represent a trend of increasing resistance to these antibiotics in the Denver area. Screening all isolates from invasive pneumococcal infections for penicillin and chloramphenicol susceptibility is recommended.