INCREASE IN HIGH-RESISTANCE TO PENICILLIN OF CLINICAL ISOLATES OF STREPTOCOCCUS-PNEUMONIAE IN CADIZ, SPAIN

The aim was to determine the increase and present standing of penicill in-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Cadiz, Spain. We have studied retrospectively a total of 385 strains of S. pneumoniae obtained duri ng the years 1991, 1993 and 1995. Strains tested were isolated from cl inical samples of patients attended at the University Hospital Puerta del Mar of Cadiz, Spain. The resistance rate to penicillin was 71.2% ( 47.0% in 1991, 72.8% in 1993 and 89.3% in 1995). The percentage of str ains with high resistance was 51.4%. The increase was from 29.4% in 19 91 to 75.2% in 1995. The incidence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci was more marked in nasopharyngeal carrier children (75.8%) than in in vasive strains (30.2%). The increase in high resistance to penicillin in clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae is very pronounced in Cadiz, Spa in.