[Detection of pneumococci with reduced susceptibility to penicillin G using the ATB++STREP strip].

Antibiotic susceptibility of 104 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae was routinely tested using ATB STREP strips (Bio-Mérieux), and interpreted with ATB PLUS Expert V 2.3.1 software. In parallel, CMI of penicillin G was determined by Etest, strains with MIC < or = 0.06 mg/l were classified as penicillin susceptible. ATB system proved to be both sensitive and specific for the detection of strains of reduced susceptibility to penicillin G, accurately detecting 70 out of the 71 susceptible strains, and all of the 33 resistant strains. However the level of resistance cannot be deduced from ATB results.