Antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from meningitis cases in Brazil from 2006 to 2008.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the profile of antimicrobial susceptibility of meningococcal disease isolates collected throughout Brazil from 2006 to 2008 and forwarded to the National Reference Laboratory for Meningitis, Institute Adolfo Lutz - São Paulo.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The MIC to penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and rifampicin was determined in a sample of 1096 (55% of the total isolates received) randomly chosen using the broth microdilution procedure. The breakpoints used were those recommended by the European Monitoring Group on Meningococci (EMGM).

RESULTS

Decreased susceptibility to penicillin and ampicillin was detected in 13% and 12.9% respectively. All isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin. Two strains (0.2%) showed high resistance to rifampicin and 0.5% of the isolates displayed intermediate resistance to rifampicin.

CONCLUSIONS

The meningococcal strains isolated in Brazil during 2006-2008 were globally susceptible to all antibiotics currently used in treatment or chemoprophylaxis of meningococcal disease in Brazil.