LIMITING THE SPREAD OF PENICILLIN-RESISTANT STREPTOCOCCUS-PNEUMONIAE - EXPERIENCES FROM THE SOUTH SWEDISH PNEUMOCOCCAL INTERVENTION PROJECT

In an attempt to limit the spread of penicillin-resistant pneumococci (PRP), an intervention project was initiated in the Malmohus County, s outhern Sweden in January 1995, The ongoing project combines tradition al communicable disease control measures and actions aiming at reducin g antibiotics consumption, All patients in the county with a nasophary ngeal culture positive for PRP with MIC of Penicillin G greater than o r equal to 0.5 mg/L are followed with nasopharyngeal cultures until PR P-negative, Nasopharyngeal cultures are obtained from family members a nd close contacts of the index cases, Preschool children carrying PRP are denied attendance at group day-care. From January 1995 to March 19 97, 1,038 PRP-carriers (429 index cases and 609 contact cases) were id entified. Children aged 1-6 years dominated (83%), Antibiotics sales d ecreased during the study period, and epidemiologic data indicate that the intervention may have limited the dissemination of PRP in the cou nty, but further evaluation is needed.