Patterns of antibiotic resistance, serotype distribution, and patient demographics of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Hong Kong.

Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from clinical specimens during the period 1993-1997 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, were analysed by the antibiotic resistance profiles, the distribution of serotypes, specimen types, and patient demographics. 1,229 non-duplicate S. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated; 84% from the respiratory tract, 11% from blood and cerebrospinal fluid and the remainder from body fluids and pus swabs. The percentage of S. pneumoniae of reduced penicillin susceptibility was 38.6%, and the percentage resistance to erythromycin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole and tetracycline were 40.4, 43.2, 54.9 and 77.8%, respectively. The organism was isolated from patients of all age groups, 14.6% from children aged below 10 years, half of whom were from children aged 2 years or below. 57.0% were from elderly patients aged above 60. The male to female ratio was 2.5:1. Isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility were seen significantly more so in children under 10 than in those aged 11 or above (52 versus 36%, p < 0.0001). A diverse range of serotypes was obtained in the penicillin-susceptible isolates whilst those of reduced susceptibility were confined to serotypes 23F, 19F, 6B, 14 and 9V. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel