Multicentric study in five African countries of antibiotic susceptibility for three main pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a growing clinical and epidemiological problem. We report on the antibiotic susceptibility of three pathogens isolated from patients in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia during 2010–2011. In total, 218 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 428 Staphylococcus aureus, and 414 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were collected. S. pneumoniae resistance was noted against penicillin (30.2%), erythromycin (27.4%), cefpodoxime (19.1%), amoxicillin (12.0%), cefotaxime (7.4%), and levofloxacin (3.2%). All the strains were teicoplanin susceptible. Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistance differed between countries, from 5.0% in Senegal to 62.7% in Egypt. Levofloxacin resistance was low in all countries, and the highest rate (in Egypt) was still only 13.6% for intermediate and resistant strains combined. Most strains were susceptible to fosfomycin (99.3%) and pristinamycin (94.2%). P. aeruginosa resistance was found against levofloxacin (30.4%), ciprofloxacin (29.9%), tobramycin (19.7%), ceftazidime (19.2%), and imipenem (17.9%), but not colistin. Antibiotic susceptibility varied widely between countries, with resistance typically most prevalent in Egypt.

Keywords:

• Antibiotic resistance
• Multicenter study
• Antibiotic susceptibility
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Streptococcus pneumoniae

Disclosure Statement

Contributor K. Zerouali, N. Ramdani-Bouguessa, C. Boye, and A. Hammami were responsible for study design; sample collection and obtaining funding for the collection; logistic, administrative, and technical support; data interpretation; and drafting, critical revision, and final approval of the article. The other members of the Active 2 study group (A. Benouda, H. Belabbes, B. Zaki, N. El Mdaghri, S. El Tayeb, and S. Eissa) were responsible for study design; sample collection; logistic, administrative, and technical support; and data interpretation. K. Zerouali is the guarantor.

Funding Surveillance and tracking of resistance was monitored and sponsored by Sanofi.

Conflict of interest None.

Ethics approval Ethics approval was not required for this study.