[Efficacy of azithromycin as the empiric therapy in children with community-acquired pneumonia who were isolated macrolide resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae from nasopharynx].

Abstract

Identification of pathogens in childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not easy. However, it is believed that nasopharyngeal colonization of pathogenic bacteria leads to childhood CAP, so the etiology is inferred by the isolates obtained from nasopharynx of children with CAP. Among the pathogens of childhood CAP, Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is the most important agent and macrolides resistant SP (MRSP) is increasingly reported. We investigated the characterization of the mechanism of macrolide resistance in isolates of MRSP by the presence of the ermB gene or the mefA gene and clindamycin (CLDM) resistance. In addition, we also assessed the efficacy of azithromycin (AZM) in children with CAP who were isolated MRSP from nasopharynx. During a 6 month period between January and June in 2002, children with CAP who were treated with a 3 day regimen of AZM and isolated SP from nasopharynx were enrolled. Clinical outcome was based on assessment of fever on the fourth day of treatment. MIC measurements were obtained by broth microdilution and interpreted according to NCCLS criteria. 53 patients were enrolled and MRSP were isolated in 41 children. Of 41 MRSP isolates, 25 isolates were identified CLDM resistance. The AZM MIC90 of CLDM resistant MRSP isolates was 128 microg/ml. On the other hand, that of CLDM sensitive MRSP isolates was 8 microg/ml. However, AZM was effective in 20 children isolated CLDM resistant MRSP and 15 out of 16 children isolated CLDM sensitive MRSP. On this background, despite high rates of MRSP in Japan, AZM continues to be clinically effective for the treatment of childhood CAP.

• Authors: Akiyoshi Nariai, Naohiro Okitsu, Matsuhisa Inoue
• Journal: Kansenshogaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases (Kansenshogaku Zasshi) Vol. 78 Issue 6 Pg. 490-5 (Jun 2004) ISSN: 0387-5911 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15287476 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Macrolides
• Clindamycin
• Azithromycin

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Azithromycin (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Clindamycin (pharmacology)
• Community-Acquired Infections (drug therapy)
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Macrolides (pharmacology)
• Male
• Nasopharynx (microbiology)
• Pneumonia, Pneumococcal (drug therapy)
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (drug effects, isolation & purification)