Invasive pneumococci before the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Turkey: antimicrobial susceptibility, serotype distribution, and molecular identification of macrolide resistance.

This study evaluates the antimicrobial susceptibilities and serotype distributions of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) isolates identified in a Turkish hospital before the introduction of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). The susceptibilities of all isolates were determined by evaluating six antibiotics: penicillin (PEN), ceftriaxone (CRO), levofloxacin (LEV), erythromycin (ERY), clindamycin (CD), and vancomycin (VAN). Serotyping and amplification of macrolide resistance genes were performed. Sixteen (50%) and four (2%) isolates were resistant to PEN and LEV, respectively. No isolates demonstrated VAN resistance. Intermediate resistance to CRO was found in 4% of all invasive isolates. Twenty-three (12.6%) isolates were resistant to ERY. Four (2%) invasive SP isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance. Serogroups 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 23 were the most common in both age groups. The potential coverage rates of PCV7 and PCV13 were 44.1 and 66.1% in children and 39.8 and 71.5% in adults, respectively. Continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is required.