R. Dagan et al., Acute otitis media caused by antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniaein southern Israel: Implication for immunizing with conjugate vaccines, J INFEC DIS, 181(4), 2000, pp. 1322-1329
The potential coverage of antibiotic-resistant pneumococci causing acute ot
itis media (AOM) by 7-, 9-, and 11-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccines w
as studied in southern Israel. A total of 876 cases of pneumococcal AOM wer
e studied in the context of various clinical conditions. Of the isolates, 6
8% were resistant to greater than or equal to 1 drug, 61% were resistant to
penicillin, and 13% were resistant to greater than or equal to 3 antibioti
c classes. Antibiotic resistance and coverage by the various candidates wer
e age and population dependent and were higher among those with a complicat
ed clinical course, as indicated by recent antibiotic use and recurrence of
AOM. The results suggest that, if efficacious, the conjugate pneumococcal
vaccines can substantially reduce the occurrence of pneumococcal AOM in gen
eral and complicated pneumococcal AOM in particular.