Resistance To Betalactams And Other Antibiotics Of Pneumococcal Strains Isolated From Acute Otitis Media: The French National Reference Center Statement 1995-1996

Population and methods. - During 1995 and 1996, 393 and 566 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, isolated from acute otitis media, were respectively sent to the National Reference Center for Pneumococci by its corresponding centers,Results, - The resistance rates for 1995 and 1996 were respectively: for penicillin: 65.4 and 70.3% (18.6 and 24.9% of intermediately resistant strains, 46.8 and 45.4% of fully resistant strains), for erythromycin: 57.5 and 68.5%, for tetracycline: 43.2 and 42.6%, for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: 47.5 and 50.9%. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of various betalactams were determined against a representative sample of strains (n = 99).Conclusion, - Amoxicillin, cefpodoxime and cefuroxime MICs remained low against numerous penicillin resistant strains, indicating that these three oral antibiotics tin combination with clavulanate for amoxicillin have a useful potential for the treatment of acute otitis media when risk factors for pneumococcal penicillin-resistant infections are detected (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.