Nation-wide survey of antibiotic resistance by means of a computer: bacterial strains from the urine, stool, and upper respiratory tract

Abstract

All-nation data of antibiotic resistance of about 200 000 bacterial strains isolated in the Slovak Socialist Republic in 1973 have been grouped, and compared, by means of a computer, into resistances of strains isolated from the urine, from upper respiratory tract (URT), from stool and from other pathological materials. In general, urine strains of all species investigated were found to be more resistant to "main antibiotics", and, suprisingly, to septrin, than strains from other sources. Strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and, notably, of Klebsiella-Enterobacter from the URT are generally more susceptible to antibiotics than strains of these species isolated from other sources. Urine strains of E. coli, P. mirabilis and Ps. aeruginosa show a high degree of resistance almost to all antibiotics, with exception of gentamicin and colistin (for E. coli and Ps. aeruginosa only). Further antibiotics for combatting these strains are urgently needed. Similar computer-assisted monitoring of strains from the very specified sources may be easily adapted for individual hospitals, clinics and even wards.