Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2000; 21(4): 273-284
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-9863
Copyright © 2000 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Antimicrobial Resistance with Streptococcus Pneumoniae in the United States

Gary V. Doern
  • Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

ABSTRACT

Among antimicrobial agents that have consistently been efficacious in treating infections due to specific bacteria over extended periods of time, there are few better examples than Streptococcus pneumoniae and penicillin. Until recently in the United States (U.S.), this combination had remained nearly uniformly effective. The sole issue mitigating for or against use of penicillin (or ampicillin) in the management of systemic pneumococcal infections, or oral ampicillin (or amoxicillin) in treating localized, nonlife-threatening pneumococcal infections, was the penicillin allergy status of the patient. In the nonallergic patient, penicillin or its congeners, have been the drugs of choice largely because resistance to these agents remained uncommon. All of that changed dramatically in the U.S. during the early part of the decade of the 1990s with the emergence of high rates of antimicrobial resistance with S. pneumoniae, and concomitantly, the recognition of diminished efficacy when certain other antimicrobials were used to treat pneumococcal infections. The intent of this discussion is to address a variety of specific issues that pertain to the problem of antimicrobial resistance with S. pneumoniae. The format chosen is a selection of the most asked questions regarding S. pneumoniae and antimicrobial resistance, and then answers are provided.

REFERENCES

  • 1 Jacobs M R, Koornhof H J, Robins-Browne R M. Emergence of multiply resistant pneumococci.  N Engl J Med . 1978;  299 735-740
  • 2 Spika J S, Facklam R R, Plikaytis B D, Oxtoby M J, the Pneumococcal Surveillance Working Group. Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States, 1997-1987.  J Infect Dis . 1991;  163 1273-1278
  • 3 Jorgensen J H, Doern G V, Maher L A, Howell A W, Redding J S. Antimicrobial resistance among respiratory isolates of Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1999;  34 2075-2080
  • 4 Thornsberry C, Brown S D, Yee C, Bouchillon S K, Marler J K, Rich T. Increasing penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae in the U.S. Effect on susceptibility to oral cephalosporins.  Infect Med . 1993;  93 15-24
  • 5 Barry A L, Pfaller M A, Fuchs P C, Packer R R. In vitro activities of 21 orally administered antimicrobial agents against four species of bacterial respiratory pathogens from U.S. medical centers in 1992 and 1993.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1994;  38 2419-2425
  • 6 Doern G V, Brueggemann Jr Holley HP, Rauch A M. Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae recovered from outpatients in the United States during the winter months of 1994 to 1995; Results of a 30-center national surveillance study.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 1208-1213
  • 7 Doern G V, Pfaller M A, Kugler K, Freeman J, Jones R N. Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in North America: 1997 results from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program.  Clin Infect Dis . 1998;  27 764-770
  • 8 Doern G V, Brueggemann A B, Huynh H, Wingert E, Rhomberg P. Antimicrobial resistance with Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States, 1997-98.  Emerg Infect Dis . 1999;  5 757-765
  • 9 Markiewicz Z, Tomasz A. Variation in penicillin-binding protein patterns of penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of pneumococci.  J Clin Microbiol . 1989;  27 405-410
  • 10 Grebe T, Hakenback R. Penicillin-binding proteins 2b and 2x of Streptococcus pneumoniae are primary resistance determinants for different classes of β-lactam antibiotics.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 829-834
  • 11 Laible G, Hakenback R. Five independent combinations of mutations can result in low-affinity penicillin-binding protein 2x of Streptococcus pneumoniae J Bacteriol .  1991;  173 6986-6990
  • 12 Jamin M, Hakenback R, Frere J-M. Penicillin binding protein 2x as a major contributor to intrinsic β-lactam resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae Fed Eur Biochem Soc .  1993;  331 101-104
  • 13 Smith A M, Klugman K P. Alterations of PBP 1A essential for high-level penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  1998;  42 1329-1333
  • 14 Smith A M, Klugman K P. Alterations in penicillin-binding protein 2B from penicillin-resistant wild-type strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  1995;  39 859-867
  • 15 Hakenbeck R, Tarpay M, Tomasz A. Multiple changes of penicillin-binding proteins in penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  1980;  17 364-371
  • 16 Dowson C G, Hutchinson A, Brannigan J A. Horizontal transfer of penicillin-binding protein genes in penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae Proc Natl Acad Sci USA .  1989;  86 8842-8846
  • 17 Dowson C G, Hutchinson A, Woodford N, Johnson A P, George R C, Spratt B G. Penicillin-resistant viridans streptococci have obtained altered penicillin-binding protein genes from penicillin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae Proc Natl Acad Sci USA .  1990;  87 5858-5862
  • 18 Laible G, Spratt B G, Hakenback R. Interspecies recombinational events during the evolution of altered PBP 2X genes in penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae Mol Microbiol .  1991;  5 1993-2002
  • 19 Doern G V, Ferraro M J, Brueggemann A B, Ruoff K L. Emergence of high rates of antimicrobial resistance among viridans group streptococci in the United States.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 891-894
  • 20 Fenoll A, Martin Bourgon C, Munoz R, Vicioso D, Casal J. Serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates causing systemic infections in Spain, 1979-1989.  Rev Infect Dis . 1991;  13 56-60
  • 21 Geslin P, Buu-Hoi A, Fremaux A, Acar J F. Antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae: An epidemiological survey in France, 1970-1990.  Clin Infect Dis . 1992;  15 95-98
  • 22 Linares J, Pallares R, Alonson T. Trends in antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Bellvitge Hospital, Barcelona, Spain (1979-1990).  Clin Infect Dis . 1992;  15 99-105
  • 23 Marton A, Gulyas M, Munoz R, Tomasz A. Extremely high incidence of antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Hungary.  J Infect Dis . 1991;  163 542-548
  • 24 Marton A. Pneumococcal antimicrobial resistances: The problem in Hungary.  Clin Infect Dis . 1992;  15 106-111
  • 25 Brueggemann A B, Pfaller M A, Jones R N, Doern G V. Use of penicillin MICs to predict the in vitro activity of other β-lactam antimicrobial agents versus Streptococcus pneumoniae .  (submitted for publication).
  • 26 Kaplan S L, Mason Jr E O. Management of infections due to antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Clin Microbiol Rev .  1998;  11 628-644
  • 27 Paris M M, Ramilo O, McCracken Jr H G. Minireview: Management of meningitis caused by penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  1995;  39 2171-2175
  • 28 National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Methods for dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests for bacteria that grow aerobically. Approved standard, 5th ed (M7-A5). National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, Wayne, PA 1999
  • 29 Pallares R, Gudiol F, Linares J. Risk factors and response to antibiotic therapy in adults with bacteremic pneumonia caused by penicillin-resistant pneumococci.  New Engl J Med . 1987;  317 18-22
  • 30 Friedland I R. Comparison of the response to antimicrobial therapy of penicillin-resistant and penicillin-susceptible pneumococcal disease.  Pediatr Infect . 1995;  14 885-890
  • 31 Garcia-Leoni M E, Cerevado E, Rodeno P, Quiros J L B C, Martinez-Hernandez D, Bouza E. Susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin: A prospective microbiologic and clinical study.  Clin Infect Dis . 1992;  14 427-435
  • 32 Jacobs R F, Kaplan S L, Schutze G E, Dajani A S, Leggiarro R J, Rim C-S, Puri S K. Relationship of MICs to efficacy of cefotaxime in treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 895-898
  • 33 Pallares R, Linares J, Vadillo M. Resistance to penicillin and cephalosporins and mortality from severe pneumococcal pneumonia in Barcelona, Spain.  N Engl J Med . 1995;  333 474-480
  • 34 Sloas M M, Barrett F F, Chesney P J, English B K, Hill B C, Tenover F C, Leggiadro R J. Cephalosporin treatment failure in penicillin- and cephalosporin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis.  Pediatr Infect Dis J . 1992;  11 662-666
  • 35 Friedland I R, Shelton S, Paris M, Rinderknecht S, Ehrett S, Krisher K, McCracken Jr H G. Dilemmas in diagnosis and management of cephalosporin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis.  Pediatr Infect Dis J . 1993;  12 196-200
  • 36 Novak R, Henriquest B, Charpentier E, Normark S, Tuomanen E. Emergence of vancomycin tolerance in Streptococcus pneumoniae Nature .  1999;  399 590-593
  • 37 McCullers J A, English B K, Novak R. Isolation and characterization of vancomycin-tolerant Streptococcus pneumoniae from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient who developed recrudescent meningitis.  J Infect Dis . 2000;  181 369-373
  • 38 Sutcliffe J, Tait-Kamradt A, Wondrack L. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes resistant to macrolides but sensitive to clindamycin: A common resistance pattern mediated by an efflux system.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 1817-1824
  • 39 Shortridge V D, Flamm R K, Ramer N, Beyer J, Tanaka S K. Novel mechanism of macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis .  1996;  26 73-78
  • 40 Shortridge V D, Doern G V, Brueggemann A B, Beyer J M, Flamm R K. Prevalence of macrolide resistance mechanisms in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from a multicenter antibiotic resistant surveillance study conducted in the United States in 1994-1995.  Clin Infect Dis . 1999;  29 1186-1188
  • 41 Ramirez J, Unowsky J, Talbot G H, Zhang H, Townsen L. Sparfloxacin versus clarithromycin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.  Clin Ther . 1999;  21 103-117
  • 42 DeAbate C A, Myers D, Henry D, Upchurch J, Lecara G, Giguere G, Collins J J. Efficacy and tolerability of once-daily grepafloxacin compared with clarithromycin in the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.  Clin Drug Invest . 1999;  17 21-31
  • 43 Anzueto A, Niederman M S, Tillotson G S, the Bronchitis Study Group. Etiology, susceptibility, and treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations of complicated chronic bronchitis in the primary care setting: Ciprofloxacin 750 mg BID versus clarithromycin 500 mg BID.  Clin Ther . 1998;  20 885-900
  • 44 O'Doherty B, Muller O, the Azithromycin Study Group. Randomized, multicentre study of the efficacy and tolerance of azithromycin versus clarithromycin in the treatment of adults with mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia.  Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis . 1998;  17 828-833
  • 45 Doern G V, Brueggemann A B, Coffman S, Flamm R. Fluoroquinolone resistance with S. pneumoniae in the United States.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother (submitted for publication).
  • 46 Brueggemann A B, Kugler K C, Doern G V. In vitro activity of BAY 12-8039, a novel 8-methoxyquinolone, compared to activities of six fluoroquinolones against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis .  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1997;  41 1594-1597
  • 47 Doern G V, Pfaller M A, Erwin M E, Brueggemann A B, Jones R N. The prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance among clinically significant respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States and Canada. 1997 results from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program.  Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis . 1998;  32 313-316
  • 48 Preston S L, Drusano G L, Berman A L. Pharmacodynamics of levofloxacin. A new paradigm for early clinical trials.  JAMA . 1998;  279 125-129
  • 49 Chen D K, McGeer A, De Azavedo C J, Low D E, and the Canadian Bacterial Surveillance Network. Decreased susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to fluoroquinolones in Canada.  New Engl J Med . 1999;  341 233-239
  • 50 Barry A L, Fuchs P C. In vitro activities of a streptogramin (RP59500), three macrolides, and an azalide against four respiratory tract pathogens.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1995;  39 238-240
  • 51 Johnson C C, Slavoski L, Schwartz M, May P, Pitsakis P G, Shur A L, Levison M E. In vitro activity of RP 59500 (quinupristin/dalfopristin) against antibiotic-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and enterococci.  Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis . 1995;  21 169-173
  • 52 Zurkeno G E, Yagi B H, Schaadt R D. In vitro activities of U-100592 and U-100766, novel oxazolidinone antibacterial agents.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1996;  40 839-845
  • 53 Mason Jr O E, Laberth L B, Kaplan S L. In vitro activities of oxazolidinones U-100592 and U-100766 against penicillin-resistant and cephalosporin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  1996;  40 1039-1040
  • 54 Hoban D J, Zhanel G G, Karlowsky J A. In vitro activity of the novel ketolide HMR 3647 and comparative oral antibiotics against Canadian respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis .  1999;  35 37-44
  • 55 Reinert R R, Bryskier A, Lutticken R. In vitro activities of the new ketolide antibiotics HMR 3004 and HMR 3647 against Streptococcus pneumoniae in Germany.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1998;  42 1509-1511
  • 56 Brueggemann A B, Doern G V, Huynh H K, Wingert E m, Rhomberg P R. The in vitro activity of ABT-773, a new ketolide antimicrobial agent, against recent clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis Antimicrob Agents Chemother .  2000;  44 447-449
  • 57 Klein J O. The epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in infants and children.  Rev Infect Dis . 1981;  3 246-253
  • 58 Klugman K P. Pneumococcal resistance to antibiotics.  Clin Microbiol Rev . 1990;  3 171-196
  • 59 Michel J, Dickman D, Greenberg Z, Bergner-Rabinowitz S. Serotype distribution of penicillin-resistant pneumococci and their susceptibilities to seven antimicrobial agents.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1983;  23 397-401
  • 60 Doern G V, Brueggemann A B, Blocker M. Clonal relationships among high-level penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States.  Clin Infect Dis . 1998;  27 757-761
  • 61 Richter S, Brueggemann A B, Hollis R. Clonal relationships among antimicrobial-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States.  Clin Infect Dis (submitted).
  • 62 Williams D N, Fasching C, Janoff E N. Septic siblings with pneumonia due to penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Clin Infect Dis .  1998;  26 1230-1231
  • 63 Craig A S, Erwin P C, Schaffner W. Carriage of multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and impact of chemoprophylaxis during an outbreak of meningitis at a day care center.  Clin Infect Dis . 1999;  29 1257-1264
  • 64 Pons J-L, Mandement M-N, Martin E, Lemort C, Nouvellon M, Mallet E, Lemeland J-F. Clonal and temporal patterns of nasopharyngeal penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains in children attending a day care center.  J Clin Microbiol . 1996;  34 3218-3222
  • 65 Reichler M R, Allphin A A, Breiman R F. The spread of multiply resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae at a day care center in Ohio.  J Infect Dis . 1992;  166 1346-1353
  • 66 Barnes D M, Hittier S, Gilligan P H, Soares S, Tomasz A, Henerson F W. Transmission of multidrug-resistant serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae in group day care: Evidence suggesting capsular transformation of the resistant strain in vivo.  J Infect Dis . 1995;  171 890-896
  • 67 Moissenet D, Valcin M, Marchand V, Garabedian E-N, Geslin P, Garbarg-Chenon A, Vu-Thein H. Molecular epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae with decreased susceptibility to penicillin in Paris children's hospital.  J Clin Microbiol . 1997;  35 298-301
  • 68 Versalovic J, Kapur V, Mason Jr O E, Shah U, Koeuth T, Lupski J R, Musser J M. Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains recovered in Houston: Identification and molecular characterization of multiple clones.  J Infect Dis . 1993;  167 850-856
  • 69 Waltman II D W, Talkington D F, Lipinski A E, Crain M J, Dixon M S, Briles D E. Evidence for a clonal origin of relative penicillin resistance among type 9L pneumococci in northwestern Canada.  J Infect Dis . 1992;  165 671-675
  • 70 Enright M K, Fenoll A, Griffiths D, Spratt B G. The three major Spanish clones of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae are the most common clones recovered in recent cases of meningitis in Spain.  J Clin Microbiol . 1999;  37 3210-3216
  • 71 McDougal L K, Rasheed J K, Biddle J W, Tenover P C. Identification of multiple clones of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in the United States.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1995;  39 2282-2288
  • 72 Hall L MC, Whiley R A, Duke B, George R C, Efstratiou A. Genetic relatedness within and between serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the United Kingdom: Analysis of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and antimicrobial resistance patterns.  J Clin Microbiol . 1996;  34 853-859
  • 73 Gherardi G, Whitney C G, Facklam R R, Beall B. Major related sets of antibiotic-resistant pneumococci in the United States as determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and pbp1a-pbp2b-pbp2x-dhf restriction profiles.  J Infect Dis . 2000;  181 216-229
  • 74 Song J-H, Lee N Y, Ichiyama S. Spread of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Asian countries: Asian Network for Surveillance of Resistant Pathogens (ANSORP) Study.  Clin Infect Dis . 1999;  28 1206-1211
  • 75 McDougal L K, Facklam R, Reeves M, Hunter S, Swenson J M, Hill B C, Tenover F C. Analysis of multiply antimicrobial-resistant isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the United States.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother . 1992;  36 2176-2184
  • 76 Soares S, Kristinsson K G, Musser M J, Tomasz A. Evidence for the introduction of a multiresistant clone of serotype 6B Streptococcus pneumoniae from Spain to Iceland in the late 1980s.  J Infect Dis . 1993;  168 158-163
  • 77 Munoz R, Musser J M, Crain M. Geographic distribution of penicillin-resistant clones of Streptococcus pneumoniae: Characterization by penicillin-binding protein profile, surface protein A typing, and multilocus enzyme analysis.  Clin Infect Dis . 1992;  15 112-118
  • 78 Munoz R, Coffey T J, Daniels M. Intercontinental spread of a multiresistant clone of serotype 23F Streptococcus pneumoniae J Infect Dis .  1991;  164 302-306
  • 79 Jabes D, Nachman S, Tomasz A. Penicillin-binding protein families: Evidence for the clonal nature of penicillin resistance in clinical isolates of pneumococci.  J Infect Dis . 1989;  159 16-25
  • 80 Radetsky M S, Istre G R, Johansen T L. Multiply resistant pneumococcus causing meningitis: Its epidemiology within a day care center.  Lancet . 1981;  2 771-773
  • 81 Baquero F, Martinez-Beltran J, Loza E. A review of antibiotic resistance patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Europe.  J Antimicrob Chemother . 1991;  28(suppl C) 31-38
  • 82 Duchin J S, Breiman R F, Diamond A. High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae among children in a rural Kentucky community.  Pediatr Infect Dis J . 1995;  14 745-750
  • 83 Ekdahl K, Hansson H B, Molstad S, Soderstrom M, Walder M, Persson K. Limiting the spread of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae: Experiences from the south Swedish pneumococcal intervention project.  Microb Drug Resist . 1998;  4 99-105
  • 84 Dabernat H, Geslin P, Megraud F. Effects of cefixime or co-amoxiclav treatment on nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in children with acute otitis media.  J Antimicrob Chemother . 1998;  41 253-258
  • 85 Pradier C, Dunais B, Carsenti-Etesse H, Dellamonica P. Pneumococcal resistance patterns in Europe.  Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis . 1997;  16 644-647
  • 86 Kristinsson K G. Effect of antimicrobial use and other risk factors on antimicrobial resistance in pneumococci.  Microbial Drug Resist . 1997;  3 117-123
  • 87 Diekema D J, Brueggemann A B, Doern G V. Relationship between antimicrobial usage in metropolitan statistical areas and changes in resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae at 23 hospitals nationwide.  Emerging Infect Dis (in press).
  • 88 Faden H, Doern G, Wolf J, Blocker M. Antimicrobial susceptibility of nasopharyngeal isolates of potential pathogens recovered from infants before antibiotic therapy: Implications for the management of otitis media.  Pediatr Infect Dis J . 1994;  13 609-612
  • 89 Leach A J, Shelby-James T M, Mao M, Gratten M, Laming A C, Currie B J, Mathews J D. A prospective study of the impact of community-based azithromycin treatment of trachoma on carriage and resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae Clin Infect Dis .  1997;  24 356-362
  • 90 Jernigan D B, Cetron M S, Breiman R F. Minimizing the impact of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP).  JAMA . 1996;  275 206-209