Five-year analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility of the Streptococcus milleri group.

Susceptibility to 17 antibiotics was studied in 180 strains of the Streptococcus milleri group (88 Streptococcus anginosus, 63 Streptococcus constellatus, and 29 Streptococcus intermedius) isolated over a 5-year period. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of penicillin were in the intermediate range for 5.6% of the strains. Resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was found in 17.1% and 16.6% of the isolates, respectively. A steady increase in the susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was observed over the study period. Imipenem was the most active beta-lactam agent tested. Glycopeptide antibiotics showed excellent activity. Only slight differences between the three species were found in terms of antibiotic susceptibility. Intermediate resistance to penicillin is appearing among the Streptococcus milleri group in our area; consequently, care must be taken when choosing a macrolide for the management of infections caused by these microorganisms.