Are Pneumococci resistant to microlides?

ABSTRACT

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of acute community - acquired pneumonia and accounts for 30-40% of lower respiratory tract infections. It accounts also for about 50% of hospital-acquired pneumonia. Macrolides remain the primary antibiotic of choice for physicians treating such infections. Macrolide resistance in Strept. pneumoniae is primarily due to two mechanisms; target site modification [encoded by the erm [B] gene] and efflux pump expulsion [encoded by the mef gene]