EPIDEMIOLOGY OF RESISTANCE TO DIAMINOPYRIMIDINES

Resistance to trimethoprim emerged in Enterobacteria- ceae and later i n other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria within two years of t he clinical introduction of the drug. Resistance is borne in many diff erent replicons often present in multiply-resistant epidemic bacteria. The incidence of trimethoprim resistance is highly variable, dependin g upon methodology, type of patients, local epidemiology: this can be illustrated by the high variation of trimethoprim resistance among Sal monella, Shigella or MRSA in various countries and by the incidence of resistance in penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.