Objective and method: Available data from the Southern Reunion Island Medical Group was processed to assess the evolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae resistance to antibiotics since 1994 when the first penicillin-non-susceptible S. pneumoniae (PNSSP) was identified. In addition, 249 strains, isolated between 1998 and 2004, were tested against telithromycin and moxifloxacin.
Results: Between 1994 and 2004, the percentage of PNSSP increased from 0 to 59.2%. Among PNSSP, 13.9% were resistant strains in 2004 with MICs<4 microg/ml. Before 2001 the rate of resistance to penicillin was superior to 50%. In 2004, 15.8 and 8.7% of the isolated strains were of decreased susceptibility to amoxicillin and cefotaxime respectively while none were resistant to either treatment. Other antibiotics followed the pattern of resistance to penicillin. Between 1998 and 2004, resistance to erythromycin decreased from 42.5 to 35.1%, from 35.1 to 22.8% for cyclins, from 18.8 to 8.8 for chloramphenicol, and from 38.3 to 12.3% for cotrimoxazole. All tested strains were susceptible to both telithromycin and moxifloxacin.
Conclusion: Amoxicillin remains efficient for all strains isolated in the Reunion Island in 2004. The presence of strains with decreased susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins implies combination with vancomycin for empirical treatment of pneumococcal meningitis. Moxifloxacin can be used when using a fluoroquinolone is justified. Telithromycin is efficient even on strains resistant to erythromycin and consequently this molecule can be prescribed in the case of a required macrolide treatment.