MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PENICILLIN-RESI STANT PNEUMOCOCCUS

The new technologies of molecular epidemiology used with classis techn ologies of serotyping and antibiotyping can explain the spread of peni cillin resistant pneumococcal strains. Analysis of published data demo nstrates that horizontal transfer of penicilline resistance genes by t ransformation which is responsive of pneumococcal resistance is a poss ible way but clonal spreading is more frequent. Both mecanisms can pla y a role together, but il is difficult to elucidate the respective res ponsiveness of each other.