Erythromycin resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes in Italy

Emerg Infect Dis. 2000 Mar-Apr;6(2):180-3. doi: 10.3201/eid0602.000212.

Abstract

In a prospective study of acute pharyngitis in Italian children, 69 (38.3%) of 180 isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes were resistant to macrolides. S. pyogenes was eradicated in 12 (63.1%) of 19 patients with erythromycin-resistant S. pyogenes treated with clarithromycin and in 22 (88%) of 25 patients with erythromycin-susceptible strains. The constitutive-resistant phenotype was correlated with failure of macrolide treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Clarithromycin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Erythromycin / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Italy
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Pharyngitis / drug therapy*
  • Pharyngitis / microbiology*
  • Phenotype
  • Prospective Studies
  • Streptococcal Infections / drug therapy*
  • Streptococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Streptococcus pyogenes / drug effects*
  • Streptococcus pyogenes / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Erythromycin
  • Clarithromycin