High Rates of Multiple Antibiotic Resistance in<i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>From Healthy Children Living in Isolated Rural Communities: Association With Cephalosporin Use and Intrafamilial Transmission

Abstract

Young age and intrafamilial transmission were important risk factors for carriage of both susceptible and resistant S pneumoniae. In contrast, previous cephalosporin use was linked specifically to resistant pneumococcal carriage, which suggests that modifications in antibiotic usage patterns may have salutary effects on antimicrobial resistance. These results extend previous observations in large cities regarding the penetration of multiple-drug-resistant clones of pneumococci into community populations.