Neisseria meningitidis with decreased susceptibility to penicillin: Reportfrom the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, North America, 1998-99

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Neisseria menin gitidis with decreased susceptibility to penicillin (MIC, >0.06 mug/mL) in North America (NA). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by Etest (AB BIODI SK, Solna, Sweden) was performed on 53 invasive clinical isolates obtained from I I SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program participants in NA (9 st ates, 2 provinces) during 1998-99. All strains were markedly susceptible to ciprofloxacin (MIC90, 0.008 mug/mL) and cefotaxime (MIC90, less than or eq ual to 0.002 mug/mL). Only 54.7% were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfameth oxazole (TMP/SMX) at less than or equal to 0.5/9.5 mug/mL. One strain was r esistant to rifampin (MIC, > 32 mug/mL) and 16 isolates (30.2%) were relati vely resistant to penicillin with MICs ranging from 0.094 to 0.25 mug/mL. N o beta -lactamase production was detected. The serogroup distribution was 4 0% Y, 28% B, 24% C, 2% W-135, and 6% of strains were nongroupable. The prev alence of N. meningitidis with decreased susceptibility to penicillin in NA appears higher than previous reports. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.