Description:
<jats:p><i>Background:</i> The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among clinical isolates of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> during the winter of 1999–2000 in Germany. <i>Methods:</i> Pneumococcal isolates were prospectively collected by 14 different clinical microbiology laboratories. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of penicillin G, erythromycin A, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, azithromycin, clindamycin, levofloxacin and telithromycin were determined by the broth microdilution method. <i>Results:</i> Among 328 strains 4.6% were nonsusceptible to penicillin G (intermediate and resistant strains) and 9.5% were resistant to erythromycin A. Analysis of erythromycin-resistant strains for the underlying resistance determinants revealed that 12 (38.7%) belonged to the <i>erm</i>(B) and 19 (61.3%) to the <i>mef</i>(E) type of resistance. Among the macrolide-resistant strains, serotypes 19F (n = 9) and 14 (n = 8) were the predominant types. <i>Conclusions:</i> Macrolide resistance in Germany is of growing concern and mainly due to the high prevalence of pneumococci expressing the <i>mef</i>(E) type of resistance.</jats:p>