Pneumonia Caused by Tetracycline-Resistant Pneumococci

Abstract

ALTHOUGH penicillin is the drug of choice in the treatment of pneumococcal infections these infections usually respond well to early and adequate therapy with tetracycline.1 Tetracycline is now prescribed frequently for suspected pneumococcal pneumonia, especially in the cases in which rapid bacteriologie diagnosis is not available or in which the patient is unable to tolerate penicillin.We report here the isolation, from 2 patients, of pneumococci exhibiting high levels of resistance to tetracycline in vitro. One of these patients acquired classic pneumococcal pneumonia while on tetracycline therapy.Case ReportIn February, 1963, a tetracycline-resistant Type 14 pneumococcus was isolated . . .