Fluoroquinolone and other antimicrobial resistance in invasive pneumococci, Hong Kong, 1995-2001

Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jul;10(7):1250-7. doi: 10.3201/eid1007.030612.

Abstract

We determined the susceptibilities of 265 invasive isolates of pneumococci obtained during 1995 to 2001 in Hong Kong to 11 antimicrobial agents and their serotypes. Overall, 62.6% isolates were susceptible to penicillin, 20% were intermediately resistant, and 17.4% were resistant. The overall prevalence of levofloxacin resistance (MIC > or = 8 microg/mL) was 3.8% but increased to 15.2% among the penicillin-resistant isolates. All levofloxacin-resistant isolates were clonally related; had reduced susceptibility to penicillin, cefotaxime, and clarithromycin; and were derived from adults > or = 50 years of age. Of the penicillin-nonsusceptible pneumococci, 90% from children < or = 5 years of age and 54.8% from persons of all ages were of serotypes that are included in the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; 93.5% from children < or = 5 years of age and 93% from persons of all ages were of serotypes that are included in the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial* / genetics
  • Fluoroquinolones / pharmacology*
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Pneumococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Serotyping
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / classification*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Fluoroquinolones