Background:
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of invasive bacterial infections in both children and adults. We investigated the antibiotic susceptibility of S. pneumoniae blood culture isolates from patients at Patan Hospital, Nepal, from January 2017 to December 2024.
Methods:
Pneumococcal blood culture isolates from all patients, including adults, were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. However, not all antibiotics were tested for sensitivity against pneumococcus through all the years.
Results:
A total of 123 S. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from blood cultures over 8 years, with 88 (71.5%) from males and 35 (28.5%) from females. Among the tested isolates, 110/111 (99%) were susceptible to vancomycin, 109/111 (98.2%) to linezolid, 33/34 (97.1%) to penicillin, 112/121 (92.6%) to chloramphenicol, and 70/95 (73.7%) to oxacillin. However, susceptibility to macrolides was lower, with only 59/121 (49%) sensitive to azithromycin, 52/121 (43%) to erythromycin, and 15/90 (16.7%) to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Conclusions:
Penicillin group of antibiotics remains highly effective against S. pneumoniae, while macrolides show reduced susceptibility, indicating a growing resistance. Vancomycin and linezolid may serve as effective alternatives for treatment, especially in cases where macrolides are not viable options. These findings highlight the importance of continuous surveillance and tailored antibiotic therapies in managing pneumococcal infections.