Macrolide resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, Thailand.

Macrolide resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has been increasing rapidly in Southeast Asia. A review from 2000 through 2011 at Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital that evaluated drug resistance to erythromycin found S. pneumoniae from 158 of the 390 (40.5%) patients: 3.6% intermediate, 36.9% highly resistant. A significant correlation was found between macrolide resistant S. pneumoniae and penicillin resistance (p<0.001), macrolide susceptible pneumococci and penicillin susceptibility (p<0.001). Trends of macrolide resistant S. pneumoniae at Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital were found to have increased. Therefore, macrolide monotherapy should be avoided or care should be taken for prophylaxis or treatment in the patient suspected of S. pneumoniae infection.