Antibiotic resistance of pediatric isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a Saudi Arabian hospital from 1999 to 2004.

BACKGROUND

This study describes the resistance pattern of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates obtained from pediatric patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital.

MATERIAL/METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of the antibiotic resistance of S. pneumoniae isolates (n=141) obtained from children in a Saudi Arabian hospital 1999-2004. Clinical data and antibiotic sensitivity were retrieved from microbiology data and analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the total isolates of S. pneumoniae, 57.6% were susceptible to penicillin, 28.8% intermediately susceptible, and 13.7% were resistant organisms. Over the study period, high-level penicillin resistance of S. pneumoniae was 0% in 1999, 23% in 2001, and 3.4% in 2004. Intermediate penicillin resistance was 21% in 1999, 41% in 2001, and 27.6% in 2004. The resistance rates to other antibiotics were as follows: erythromycin 33.4%, tetracycline 30%, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 40%, and clindamycin 21.6%. Children less than 2 years of age showed a higher rate of intermediately penicillin-susceptible isolates (41.9% versus 22.7%, P=0.0.02). They also had higher rates of resistance to tetracycline (42.4% versus 25%, P=0.03), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (54% versus 33.8%, P=0.02), and clindamycin (33% versus 17%, P-0.04). All tested isolates were susceptibility to ceftriaxone and vancomycin.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall high-level penicillin resistance of S. pneumonaie from 1999-2004 was 13.7%. The percentage of intermediately penicillin-susceptible organisms was higher in the age group under 2 years of age (41.9%) than in patients 2 years of age or older (22.7%).