Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2012; 14(4):309-321
Objectives. To evaluate the level, structure and phenotypes of antimicrobial resistance in clinical respiratory strains of Streptococcus pyogenes in different regions of Russia during 1999–2009.
In total 804 respiratory strains of S. pyogenes from different regions of Russia were included in the study. Susceptibility to 18 antimicrobials was evaluated by the standard broth microdilution method according to EUCAST 2012 recommendations.
β-Lactams remaine highly active against all tested strains. Non-susceptibility rate to 14-and 15-member macrolides according to the susceptibility testing results for erythromycin decreased from 9.9% in 2007– 2009 to 0.8% in 1999–2003. Resistance to clindamycin varied from 0% to 1% depending on the study period. Respiratory quinolones (moxifloxacin and levofloxacin) demonstrated high activity with no resistant strains detected during the study. In all study periods very high levels of tetracycline resistance were detected (45.8% in 1999–2003 and 33.9% – in 2007–2009). In 1999–2003 9.9% of strains were resistant to chloramphenicol, compare to 5.1% in 2007–2009. Majority of strains remain susceptible to co-trimoxazole (99.2% in 1999–2003 and 100% – in 2004–2009. There were no resistance noted for linezolid and vancomycin.
β-Lactams and macrolides remain highly activity against S. pyogenes in Russia and can be recommended for the empiric therapy of streptococcal respiratory infections. Taken into consideration high in vitro activity of fluoroquinolones, lincozamydes and linezolid, these drugs in some selected cases can be considered as alternative agents.