Penicillin‐Insensitive Pneumococci in Australia and New Guinea: A Progress Report

Abstract

Penicillin‐insensitive [PR] pneumococci isolated in Australia and New Guinea in the eight‐year period, from 1967 to 1974 inclusive, were tested quantitatively for sensitivity to penicillin. Pneumococci of eight serotypes: Types 2, 4, 6, 14, 19, 23, 24 and 35 showed a minimal inhibitory concentration of 0.5 μg/mL or more penicillin G. Penicillin resistance has not been reported in Types 2 or 24 previously. Because Type 2 may cause epidemic infection, the isolation of a PR strain (from a New Guinean) is noteworthy. The least sensitive pneumococci which were isolated (Types 6 and 24) had a minimal inhibitory concentration of 2.0 μg/mL penicillin G (resistance ratio 100).