Regional trends in telithromycin and azithromycin resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates

This study compared the in vitro activity of telithromycin, the first ketolide developed for clinical use, with that of azithromycin, one of the most commonly used macrolide for treatment of respiratory tract infections, against 198 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates at some North West Italy’s hospitals between 2005-2007. Erythromycin-resistance phenotypes were determined to correlate the different bacterial resistant pattern to antimicrobial susceptibility. The uniform activity of telithromycin against S. pneumoniae, including Ery-R isolates, suggests that this ketolide may offer a valuable alternative for treatment of streptococcal infections. Furthermore, in addition to several other reports, even the findings from this regional study, emphasize that an active surveillance of phenotype distribution and antibacterial resistance in pneumococci is essential to guide the effective use of empirical treatment option for streptococcal infections