Typing and susceptibility to penicillin of Neisseria meningitidis isolatedfrom patients in Cuba (1993-1999)

The susceptibility to penicillin of 111 Neisseria meningitidis strains was assessed by the agar-dilution procedure and serosubtypes were determined by a whole-cell enzyme-linked immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies reagent s. Thirty-five isolates showed reduced sensitivity to penicillin (MIC great er than or equal to 0.1 mg/l and less than or equal to 1 mg/l) and no resis tant strains were detected. The most common phenotype was B:4.P1.15 (77.5%) and a rising trend of non-typeable and non-subtypeable strains was detecte d. The increase in levels of minimal inhibitory concentrations of meningoco cci to penicillin gives cause for concern and the increase in non-typeable and non-subtypeable isolation demand the use of molecular biology technique s for their typing.