Antibiotic Sensitivity of Streptococcus Pneumoniae that Isolated from Different Pneumococcal Infections

Abstract

During the period from June of 2018 to February 2019 (150) isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were

isolated from 600 patients with clinical symptoms of Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) (pneumonia),

otitis media and meningitis obtained from Baqubah Hospitals. The results showed that not only S. pneumoniae

causes pneumonia and it can causes diseases other than pneumonia such as otitis media and meningitis

but with less frequency. S. pneumoniae showed different susceptibilities towards antibiotics used in this

study. The total susceptibility was (65.8%) and the total resistance was (34.2%). The highest pneumococcal

susceptibility was showed to the cell wall inhibitors (44.4%) followed by protein synthesis inhibitors (28%)

and quinolones (17.3%), and the lowest susceptibility was to folate antagonists with 0%. The highest rates

of susceptibility was to penicillin (100%), chloramphenicol (86%), vancomycin (80%) and moderate rates

of susceptibility to levofloxacin (90) 60%, linezolid (42.7) %, cefotaxime (40%), ofloxacin (40%) whereas

there was a relatively lower susceptibility rate towards other antibiotics such as ampicillin, imipenem,

amoxicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Therefore, it should be avoided in the treatment in addition to

tazobactam, amikacin, gentamicin, which had lowest rates susceptibility against S. pneumoniae. As a result,

it required more research to identify new antibiotic or vaccine to reduce the risk of pneumococcal infection.