Antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from meningitis cases in Brazil from 2006 to 2008

ObjectiveTo analyze the profile of antimicrobial susceptibility of meningococcal disease isolates collected throughout Brazil from 2006 to 2008 and forwarded to the National Reference Laboratory for Meningitis, Institute Adolfo Lutz - São Paulo.Materials and methodsThe MIC to penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and rifampicin was determined in a sample of 1096 (55% of the total isolates received) randomly chosen using the broth microdilution procedure. The breakpoints used were those recommended by the European Monitoring Group on Meningococci (EMGM).ResultsDecreased susceptibility to penicillin and ampicillin was detected in 13% and 12.9% respectively. All isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin. Two strains (0.2%) showed high resistance to rifampicin and 0.5% of the isolates displayed intermediate resistance to rifampicin.ConclusionsThe meningococcal strains isolated in Brazil during 2006-2008 were globally susceptible to all antibiotics currently used in treatment or chemoprophylaxis of meningococcal disease in Brazil.

ResumenObjetivoAnalizar el perfil de susceptibilidad a los antimicrobianos de las cepas de meningococos aisladas de casos de enfermedad meningocócica en Brasil entre 2006 y 2008 y enviadas al Laboratorio Nacional de Referencia para Meningitis, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo.Material y métodosSe determinó la CIM a penicilina, ampicilina, cloranfenicol, ceftriaxona, ciprofloxacino y rifampicina, mediante el procedimiento de microdilución seriada en caldo en una muestra de 1.096 aislados (55% de los aislados recibidos) escogida al azar. Los puntos de corte utilizados fueron los recomendados por el European Monitoring Group on Meningococci (EMGM).ResultadosSe detectó disminución de la susceptibilidad a la penicilina y la ampicilina en el 13 y el 12,9% respectivamente. Todos los aislados fueron susceptibles a cloranfenicol, ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacino. Dos cepas (0,2%) mostraron alta resistencia a la rifampicina y el 0,5% de los aislados presentaron resistencia intermedia a la rifampicina.ConclusionesLas cepas de meningococos aisladas en Brasil en el periodo 2006-2008 fueron globalmente susceptibles a los antibióticos actualmente utilizados en el tratamiento o quimioprofilaxis de enfermedad meningocócica en Brasil.