Prevalence of Types of Streptococcus pyogenes and their Susceptibility to 30 Antibiotics

Abstract
Two hundred strains of Streptococcus pyogenes were isolated at random from septic lesions not associated with the respiratory tract and nose and throat in 19 centers throughout Poland and typ-ed by T-agglutination. The prevalent types of S. pyogenes were: 8, 25, Imp. 19 complex in 29% (with occurrence of the 25, Imp. 19 type in 14%, 3, 13, B 3264 complex in 24.5% (type 3 only in 12%), 5, 11, 12, 27, 44 complex in 24 % (type 12 only in 7.5 %), and type 4 in 10.5 %. Other types constituted 11.5 %. These strains were tested for their susceptibility towards 30 antibiotics, of which the most effective occurred: natural and semisynthetic penicillins, cepha-lotin, rifamycins, erythromycin, spiramycin, pristinamycin and lincomycin. Twenty-two per cent of strains were tetracycline-resistant, 13.5 % – chloramphenicol-resistant and 30.5 % – novobiocin-resistant. All strains were not susceptible to streptomycin and the neomycin group of antibiotics at concentrations available in the organism. Distribution of serotypes among antibiotic-resistant strains is described. Prevalence of serotypes of S. pyogenes recognized in this study was compared with occurrence of serotypes in 2451 strains of S. pyogenes isolated from non-epidemic and epidemic-infections caused by this microorganism during the 1950–1965 period.