Abstract
BackgroundThe widespread overuse of antibiotics promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which can cause severe illness and constitutes a major public health concern. Haemophilus species are a common cause of community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia. The antibiotic resistance of these Gram-negative bacteria can be prevented through the reduction of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, the correct use of antibiotics, and good hygiene and infection control. This article examines, retrospectively, antibiotic resistance in patients with community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species.MethodsThe demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of all patients with community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species were collected from the hospital charts at the HELIOS Clinic, Witten/Herdecke University, Wuppertal, Germany, within a study period from 2004 to 2014. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for the different antibiotics that have been consistently used in the treatment of patients with pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species.ResultsDuring the study period of January 1, 2004, to August 12, 2014, 82 patients were identified with community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia affected by Haemophilus species. These patients had a mean age of 63.8 ± 15.5 (60 [73.2 %, 95 % CI 63.6 %–82.8 %] males and 22 [26.8 %, 95 % CI 17.2 %–36.4 %] females). Haemophilus species had a high resistance rate to erythromycin (38.3 %), ampicillin (24.4 %), piperacillin (20.8 %), cefuroxime (8.5 %), ampicillin-sulbactam (7.3 %), piperacillin-sulbactam (4.3 %), piperacillin-tazobactam (2.5 %), cefotaxime (2.5 %), and levofloxacin (1.6 %). In contrast, they were not resistant to ciprofloxacin in patients with pneumonia (P = 0.016).ConclusionHaemophilus species were resistant to many of the typically used antibiotics. Resistance toward ciprofloxacin was not detected in patients with pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species.
Highlights
The widespread overuse of antibiotics promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which can cause severe illness and constitutes a major public health concern
The results of susceptibility tests with these antimicrobial agents are often not useful for the management of patients with pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species
In the hospital database used in this study, 140 (2.0 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.7 %–2.3 %) patients were found with pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species (ICD J14)
Summary
The widespread overuse of antibiotics promotes the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which can cause severe illness and constitutes a major public health concern. Haemophilus species are a common cause of community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia. The antibiotic resistance of these Gram-negative bacteria can be prevented through the reduction of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, the correct use of antibiotics, and good hygiene and infection control. This article examines, retrospectively, antibiotic resistance in patients with community- and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species. All 16 species of Haemophilus are motile rods; of these 16 species, the two of medical importance are H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae. H. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, azithromycin, clarithromycin, cefaclor, cefprozil, cefixime, and cefuroxime are antimicrobial agents of oral administration that may be used as empiric therapy for respiratory tract infections due to Haemophilus species [4]. The results of susceptibility tests with these antimicrobial agents are often not useful for the management of patients with pneumonia caused by Haemophilus species. Susceptibility tests with these compounds may be appropriate for surveillance or epidemiologic studies
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