Volume 4, Number 2—June 1998
Dispatch
Emergence of the M Phenotype of Erythromycin-Resistant Pneumococci in South Africa
Table 1
Prevalence of South African erythromycin-resistant pneumococcal isolates, 1987–1996a
| Years | Total isolatesb | No. of E-R strains (%)c | No. of M strains (% of E-R strains) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-1991 | 5,115 | 128 (2.5) | 1 (0.8) |
| 1992-1996 | 4,753 | 142 (3.0) | 28 (19.7) |
| Total | 9,868 | 270 (2.7) | 29 (10.7) |
aOf 9,868 blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) isolates received by the SAIMR from 1987 to 1996, 270 were fully resistant to erythromycin. While the number of erythromycin-resistant blood and CSF isolates received increased from 1987 to 1991 compared with 1992 to 1996 (2.5% to 3.0%), the increase was not significant. There was no significant relationship between erythromycin resistance and the M phenotype within any given province throughout the 10 years.
bBlood and cerebrospinal fluid isolates.
cE-R= erythromycin-resistant.
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