HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FRENCH ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE PROJECT

Thirty-three French laboratories took part in a study to deter mine th e frequency of antibiotic resistance to S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae a nd M. catarrhalis in different regions of the country. A total of 1317 bacterial isolates were studied. The level of resistance to penicilli n among isolates of S. pneumoniae was high particularly in children wi th otitis media or upper respiratory tract infections. In H. influenza e isolates the level of beta-lactamase production was over 30% in all groups of patients and specimen types and in M. catarrhalis the level of beta-lactamase production was in excess of 90%. Multidrug resistanc e was found often among the macrolides, tetracyclines, and trimethopri m/sulfamethoxazole, and these antimicrobials should not be regarded as therapeutic alternatives to the beta-lactams. (C) 1996 Elsevier Scien ce Inc.