Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents is an increasing problem in many areas of the tropics. To assess drug resistance pattern of Streptococcus pneumoniae among clinically diagnosed cases of pneumonia, meningitis and otitis media in Hawassa Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 152 cases from sputum, cerebrospinal-fluid, and ear discharge samples. Blood agar and Muller-Hinton agar were used to culture samples. Biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility tests were also done. Gram staining and microscopic examinations were carried out. The mean age of the study subjects was 26.9 years (range: 1 month to 55 years); 61.2% were males. Of cultured 152 patients’ samples 21.4% growth S. pneumoniae. The highest resistance rate was seen for ampicillin and penicillin but lowest for chloramphenicol. Sixty four point two percent (64.2%) of the isolates were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. S. pneumoniae shows highest resistance for ampicillin and penicillin.

Key words: Streptococcus pneumoniae, drug resistance, antimicrobial agents, antibiotics susceptibility test.