Summary

The antimicrobial susceptibility of all 522 viable invasive isolates of S. pneumoniae referred to ESR in 2006 was tested. 15.9% (83) were penicillin nonsusceptible (MIC ≥0.12 mg/L): 7.9% (41) resistant (MIC ≥2 mg/L) and 8.1% (42) intermediate (MIC 0.12-1 mg/L). Over the last decade there has been considerable variation in the prevalence of penicillin resistance, with a significant increase between 1995 and 1998-9, a decrease between 1999 and 2002, then an increase again until 2004 after which there has been little change (Figure 1). Penicillin nonsusceptibility increased between 1995 and 1999, but there has been no significant change since then.