ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED LOWER RESPIRATORY-TRACT BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ISOLATED IN THE UK DURING THE 1995-1996 COLDSEASON

The antimicrobial susceptibility of 1078 isolates of Haemophilus influ enzae, 348 Streptococcus pneumoniae and 258 Moraxella catarrhalis was determined. Overall 15.1% of H. influenzae produced beta-lactamase; 98 .8% were susceptible to co-amoxiclav, 85.8% to cefaclor, 96% to clarit hromycin and 100% to ciprofloxacin. The majority (94.2%) of M. catarrh alis produced beta-lactamase. The overall prevalence of low-level peni cillin resistance (MIC = 0.12-1 mg/L) amongst isolates of S. pneumonia e was 3.4% and that of high-level resistance (MIC greater than or equa l to 2 mg/L) was 3.7%. Most (96.3%) of the isolates of S. pneumoniae w ere susceptible to amoxycillin (MIC less than or equal to 0.5 mg/L), 9 6% to cefaclor (MIC less than or equal to 8 mg/L), 90.7% to clarithrom ycin (MIC less than or equal to 0.25 mg/L) and 89% to ciprofloxacin (M IC less than or equal to 1 mg/L).