Capsular types and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in Korea

The capsular types and the MICs of penicillin G and other antimicrobial agents were determined for 89 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. MICs of penicillin G ranged from 0.015 to 2 mg/l, with 29 % and 48 % of the isolates exhibiting intermediate resistance and complete resistance, respectively. All isolates were susceptible to teicoplanin and vancomycin, but 81 % and 43 % of the penicillin G-resistant strains were intermediately resistant to cefotaxime and imipenem, respectively. Strains belonged to 16 different capsular types: 73 % belonged to types 19F and 23F, and 97 % of strains belonging to these two types exhibited either intermediate or complete resistance to penicillin G.