Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of beta-hemolytic and viridans group streptococci: report from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (1997-2000).

Susceptibility patterns of 15 antimicrobial agents were assessed for 3,400 isolates of beta-hemolytic (betahS) and viridans group (VgS) streptococci in the four regions of the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program: Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe (EU), Latin America (LA) and North America (NA). In 1997 through 2000, SENTRY Program monitors tested strains by reference broth microdilution methods and results were interpreted using National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards criteria. Among the betahS processed, 81.9% of strains were either Streptococcus pyogenes (n = 650) or S. agalactiae (n = 1,190). The VgS were generally classified as unspeciated alpha-hemolytic streptococci (n = 512; 44%) or S. mitis (n = 254; 22%). Seven quinolones, two beta-lactams, erythromycin (ER), clindamycin (CM), quinupristin/dalfopristin (Q/D), vancomycin (VA), teicoplanin (TP) and linezolid (LZ) were tested. Rank order of susceptibility for betahS isolates was: ceftriaxone (CTX) = Q/D = VA = TP = LZ (100.0%) > gatifloxacin (GATI) = trovafloxacin (TROV, 99.8%) > levofloxacin (LEVO; 99.7%) > penicillin (PEN; 99.3%) > grepafloxacin (GREPA; 97.4%) > CM (94.4%) > ER (85.5%). ER versus betahS had the highest MIC(90) values (2 microg/ml) and the lowest susceptibility rates across all regions (range, 81.4% in NA to 97.3% in LA). Among the VgS, susceptibility rank order was: VA = TP = LZ (100.0%) > Q/D (99.1%) > GATI = LEVO = TROVA (98.0%) > GREPA (96.5%) > CTX (92.8%) > CM (90.3%) > PEN (68.6%) > ER (64.5%). Macrolide resistance in both streptococcal species groups of the M-phenotype was highest in the Americas, with erm-patterns predominating in EU and APAC regions. BMS284756 among the monitored new agents showed a four- to eight-fold greater potency versus these streptococcal isolates when compared to the other six tested quinolones. Like Streptococcus pneumoniae, these other streptococci appear to have acquired numerous resistances and require continued surveillance to direct adequate therapies.