Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2003 May;10(1):81-86. 10.14776/kjpid.2003.10.1.81.

Changing Patterns of Antibiotic-resistant Rates and Clinical Features in Pneumococcal Infections

• Jang GC
• Shin KM
• Yong DE
• Lee KW
• Kim DS

• KMID: 2440102
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2003.10.1.81

Abstract

PURPOSE
Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, and otitis media in children worldwide. Emergence of drug-resistant organism has substantially complicated the therapy of these infections. This study was conducted to determine the clinical features and changing patterns of antibiotic-resistant rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
METHODS
We have retrospectively examined 306 cases of culture proven patients who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Severance hospital, from the year 1991 to year 2000. The type of culture specimen used, presence of penicillin resistance, characteristics according to various presenting diseases and their prevailing year were also examined.
RESULTS
The mean age of cases was 7.9 year and the ratio of male to female was 1.6 : 1. The main age group of pneumococcal infection was under 2 years(42%). Systemic infections associated with pneumococci were sepsis(19.3%) and meningitis(9.5%), while local infections presented as pneumonia(29.2%), otitis media(19.3%), exudative tonsillitis(13.3%), and sinusitis(9.2%) in the order of frequency. Seasonal variation was seen in the incidence of pneumococcal infection: high incidence of infection was seen in Spring(Mar.~Apr; 32%), while the incidence was low during summer(Aug.~Sep.; 6%). Penicillin-resistant rate of pneumococci was steadily on the increase since the year 1991(65%) to year 2000(84%).
CONCLUSION
Antibiotic-resistant pneumococci increased during the past decade. For effective prevention of pneumococcal infections, national survey of pneumococcal infections and expanded use of pneumococcal vaccination would be needed.

Keyword

Streptococcus pneumoniae; Antibiotic-resistant rates; Children

MeSH Terms

Child
Female
Humans
Incidence
Male
Meningitis
Otitis
Otitis Media
Pediatrics
Penicillin Resistance
Pneumococcal Infections*
Pneumonia
Retrospective Studies
Seasons
Sepsis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Vaccination