[Development of resistance to beta-lactams and other antibiotics of pneumococci isolated from acute otitis media in France: statement of the National Reference Center 1995-1996].

POPULATION AND METHODS: During 1995 and 1996, 393 and 566 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, isolated from acute otitis media, were respectively sent to the National Reference Center for Pneumococci by its corresponding centers.

RESULTS: The resistance rates for 1995 and 1996 were respectively: for penicillin: 65.4 and 70.3% (18.6 and 24.9% of intermediately resistant strains, 46.8 and 45.4% of fully resistant strains), for erythromycin: 57.5 and 68.5%, for tetracycline: 43.2 and 42.6%, for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: 47.5 and 50.9%. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of various betalactams were determined against a representative sample of strains (n = 99).

CONCLUSION: Amoxicillin, cefpodoxime and cefuroxime MICs remained low against numerous penicillin resistant strains, indicating that these three oral antibiotics (in combination with clavulanate for amoxicillin) have a useful potential for the treatment of acute otitis media when risk factors for pneumococcal penicillin-resistant infections are detected.