© 2003 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Antimicrobial resistance in Cairo, Egypt 1999–2000: a survey of five hospitals

Antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens is a global problem, but in Egypt data are sparse. We reviewed the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bloodstream isolates of Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli in five hospitals in Cairo, Egypt, from 1999 to 2000. In addition, susceptibilities of non-bloodstream isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus spp. were analysed. High rates of resistance were found in most of the bacteria studied. In the hospitals, a variety of methods were used for identification and susceptibility test-ing, but in the laboratories quality controlled strains were utilized routinely, to ensure accurate performance of the assays. Only 29 % of Staphylococcus aureus isolates and 23 % of coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates were oxacillin susceptible. Both groups of staphylococci were also highly resistant to erythromycin, co-trimoxazole, clindamycin and doxycycline; all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Susceptibility of S. pneumoniae isolates to penicillin, cef-triaxone and fluoroquinolones was 63%, 84 % and 82%, respectively. Vancomycin susceptibilit