BETA-LACTAM SUSCEPTIBILITY OF STREPTOCOCC US-PNEUMONIAE SURVEY IN 13 FRENCH BRITANNY HOSPITALS (1991-1992)

Evolution in the decrease of beta-lactam susceptibility of Streptococc us pneumoniae is surveyed in France by the National Reference Center f or Pneumococci (NRCP). In a wide area, we compared the data collected from 13 hospitals to the data of the NRCP, as well as the data from ea ch hospital to all others. The rate of penicillin resistance in this a rea was similar to NRCP data (13 %). The study showed a difference in penicillin susceptibility between invasive (5,5 %) and noninvasive str ains (18,6 %). A relationship between penicillin resistance and pediat ric isolates (PRP rate : 33 %) was observed. There was a marked hetero geneity in the results of each hospital, and bias such as the origin o f isolates, recruitment, and difference in the methods for resistance detection must be taken in account. These results should prompt to per form local epidemiological surveys and propose appropriate measures in order to control the ongoing beta-lactam resistance in S. pneumoniae.