Original Article
Korean Nationwide Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance of bacteria in 1997
Yunsop Chong,1
Kyungwon Lee,1
Yeon Joon Park,2
Dong Seok Jeon,3
Myung Hee Lee,4
Moon Yeun Kim,5
Chul Hun Chang,6
Eui Chong Kim,7
Nam Yong Lee,8
Hyon Suk Kim,9
Eun Suk Kang,10
Hyun Chan Cho,11
In Ki Paik,12
Hye Soo Lee,13
Sook Jin Jang,14
Ae Ja Park,15
Young Joo Cha,16
Sung Ha Kang,17
Myung Hee Lee,18
Wonkeun Song,19
and Jong Hee Shin20
- Korean Nationwide Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance Group, WHONET Korea, Seoul, Korea.
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1Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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2Catholic University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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3College of Medicine, Keimyung University, Taegu, Korea.
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4Kwangju Christian Hospital, Kwangju, Korea.
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5College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Pohang, Korea.
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6College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea.
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7Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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8College of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
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9Yongdong Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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10Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
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11Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong, Seoul, Korea.
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12Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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13College of Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, Korea.
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14College of Medicine, Chosun University, Kwangju, Korea.
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15College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
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16College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Yongsan, Seoul, Korea.
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17Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea.
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18Korea Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
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19Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam, Seoul, Korea.
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20Chunnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea.
Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are known to be prevalent in tertiary-care hospitals in Korea. Twenty hospitals participated to this surveillance to determine the nationwide prevalence of resistance bacteria in 1997. Seven per cent and 26% of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were resistant to 3rd-generation cephalosporin. Increased resistance rates, 19% of Acinetobacter baumannii to ampicillin/sulbactam, and 17% of Pseudomonas aeruginoa to imipenem, were noted. The resistance rate to fluoroquinolone rose to 24% in E. coli, 56% in A. baumannii and 42% in P. aeruginosa. Mean resistance rates were similar in all hospital groups: about 17% of P. aeruginosa to imipenem, 50% of Haemophilus influenzae to ampicillin, 70% of Staphylococcus aureus to methicillin, and 70% of pneumococci to penicillin. In conclusion, nosocomial pathogens and problem resistant organisms are prevalent in smaller hospitals too, indicating nosocomial spread is a significant cause of the increasing prevalence of resistant bacteria in Korea.
