Hong Kong Med J 2007;13(Suppl 5):S23-5
Clinical outcome and impact on health care utilisation of invasive pneumococcal disease in the era of antimicrobial resistance
PL Ho, YH Cheng, SSS Chiu, KWT Tsang, DNC Tsang, RWH Yung, TL Que, TK Ng
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong
1. Resistance to penicillins, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones was common among invasive pneumococci isolated from both children and adults. Most such isolates, including the majority of the antibioticresistant strains, were of serotypes targeted in the currently available 7-valent and 23valent pneumococcal vaccines.
2. Bacteraemic pneumococcal infections conferred high mortality, especially in patients aged 65 years or above living in old-age homes. We suggest that these subjects be prioritised for pneumococcal vaccination.
3. At the current levels of penicillin resistance, bacteraemic pneumococcal infection (outside the central nervous system) caused by penicillin–non-susceptible strains were not associated with increased mortality and higher health care utilisation than infections by penicillin-susceptible strains, provided they are promptly and appropriately treated intravenously with _-lactams having good anti-pneumococcal activity.
2. Bacteraemic pneumococcal infections conferred high mortality, especially in patients aged 65 years or above living in old-age homes. We suggest that these subjects be prioritised for pneumococcal vaccination.
3. At the current levels of penicillin resistance, bacteraemic pneumococcal infection (outside the central nervous system) caused by penicillin–non-susceptible strains were not associated with increased mortality and higher health care utilisation than infections by penicillin-susceptible strains, provided they are promptly and appropriately treated intravenously with _-lactams having good anti-pneumococcal activity.