Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Is resistance futile?

A new model addresses the evolutionary mechanisms for antibiotic resistance and comes up with some grim forecasts. In the United States, resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to two commonly prescribed antibiotics is predicted to reach 41% by 2004 (pages 424–430).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Macrolide and penicillin resistance in S. pneumoniae in the year 2000 (adapted from the Alexander Project (GlaxoSmithKline; data on file) and the Canadian Bacterial Surveillance Network (http://microbiology.mtsinai.on.ca)).

References

  1. McCormick, A.W. et al. Geographic diversity and temporal trends of antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States. Nat. Med. 9, 424–430 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Mulholland, K. Strategies for the control of pneumococcal diseases. Vaccine 17, S79–S84 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Appelbaum, P.C. Antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae: an overview. Clin. Infect. Dis. 15, 77–83 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Metlay, J.P. Update on community-acquired pneumonia: impact of antibiotic resistance on clinical outcomes. Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis. 15, 163–167 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lonks, J.R. et al. Failure of macrolide antibiotic treatment in patients with bacteremia due to erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Clin. Infect. Dis. 35, 556–564 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bronzwaer, S.L. et al. A European study on the relationship between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 8, 278–282 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Garcia-Rey, C. et al. Pharmacoepidemiological analysis of provincial differences between consumption of macrolides and rates of erythromycin resistance among Streptococcus pyogenes isolates in Spain. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40, 2959–2963 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhanel, G.G. et al. Pharmacodynamic activity of fluoroquinolones against ciprofloxacin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. J. Antmicrob. Chemother. 49, 807–812 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Soares, S. et al. Evidence for the introduction of a multiresistant clone of serotype 6B Streptococcus pneumoniae from Spain to Iceland in the late 1980s. J. Infect. Dis. 168, 158–163 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Martin, J.M. et al. Erythromycin resistant group A streptococci in schoolchildren in Pittsburgh. N. Engl. J. Med. 346, 1200–1206 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Nichol, K.L. et al. Effectiveness of live, attenuated intranasal influenza virus vaccine in healthy, working adults: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 282, 137–144 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Guinan, M. et al. The effect of a comprehensive handwashing program on absenteeism in elementary schools. Am. J. Infect. Control 30, 217–220 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pittet, D. et al. Effectiveness of a hospital-wide programme to improve compliance with hand hygiene. Lancet 356, 1307–1312 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McGeer, A., Low, D. Is resistance futile?. Nat Med 9, 390–392 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0403-390

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0403-390

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing