Changes in Serotypes and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae Strains in Cleveland: a Quarter Century of Experience

Abstract

The serotypes and susceptibilities to penicillin, macrolides, and clindamycin of 1,655 invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae recovered between 1979 and 2004 were determined. A precipitous decrease of 61% in the number of isolates was found following 2000, the year of 7-valent protein-conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7) introduction (139 versus 55 per 2-year period prior to versus after 2000; P < 0.001). This decrease was 84% in children <5 years old (80 versus 13 per 2-year period; P < 0.001) and 18 to 23% in other age groups (P, not significant). PCV7 serotypes decreased by 76% overall (103 versus 25 per 2-year period; P < 0.001) and by 92% in children <5 years old (65 versus 5 per 2-year period; P < 0.001), with significant decreases in six of the seven PCV serotypes. Other serotypes, except for type 19A, decreased from 32 to 22 per 2-year period, while type 19A increased from 4 to 8 per 2-year period, although none of these changes reached significance. Drug resistance emerged slowly, with the first penicillin-intermediate strain isolated in 1980 and the first macrolide/lincosamide-resistant strain isolated in 1984. The first penicillin-resistant strain was isolated in 1993. Resistance increased steadily thereafter until 2003-2004, when 51.1% of isolates were penicillin nonsusceptible and 53.3% were macrolide resistant. Clindamycin resistance remained low until 2003-2004, when 26.7% of strains were resistant; this was associated with the emergence of multidrug-resistant type 19A strains. This study documents the emergence of resistance over a quarter century among invasive pneumococci in the Cleveland area, as well as the reduction in disease caused by PCV7 serotypes following the introduction of PCV7 in 2000.