We analyzed Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Gifu prefecture between November 2004 and December 2004. We analyzed isolates of 160 strains from 8 medical facilities to determine antibiotic susceptibility, genotype of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) genes and macrolide resistant genes, and the serotypes of penicillinresistantS. pneumoniae (PRSP).
When referred to the classification in CLSI (formerly NCCLS), the overall incidence of penicillin-susceptible (PSSP), penicillin-intermediate (PISP) and penicillin-resistant (PRSP) were 48 (30.0%), 81 (50.6%) and 31 (19.4%) strains, respectively, and the susceptibility distribution to benzylpenicillin showed triplet peaks.
The incidence of PISP and PRSP was higher in the material of throat and nasal cavity, and area of Chuno and Gifu district. The sum of the incidence of PISP and PRSP was slightly higher in inpatient-derived stains than outpatient-derived strains.
The incidence that didn't possess mutations in PBP genes and macrolide-resistant genes was 6 (3.75%) and the others 154 strain (96.25%) had abnormal PBP genes or macrolide-resistant genes. The 90% of pneumococcal serotypes of PRSP 31 strains were serotype 6 (14 strains, 45.2%), 19 (7 strains, 22.6%) and 23 (7 strains, 22.6%).
The MIC₉₀ of each antibiotics was as follows; 0.1μg/mL for panipenem, 0.2μg/mL for imipenem and tosufloxacin, 0.39μg/mL for meropenem and gatifloxacin, 0.78μg/mL for amoxicillin, cefteram and cefditoren, 1.56μg/mL for piperacillin, cefcapene and levofloxacin, 3.13μg/mL for flomoxef, 6.25μg/mL for cefdinir and cefotiam, 12.5μg/mL for norfloxacin and minocycline, 25μg/mL for cefixime, and 100μg/mL for clarithromycin.

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Concerning major causative organisms of purulent meningitis, i.e., Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, a questionnaire was sent to medical institutions all over Japan with the aim of investigating the patient background factors, sequelae and causal relationship with the causative organisms. Responses from 84 institutions in various parts of Japan were summarized and the following conclusions were drawn.
1. The diagnostic names of 227 patients for whom the questionnaire could be recollected were as follows: Purulent meningitis 138 cases (patient under 15 years old; 134 cases); purulent meningitis and sepsis, 58 cases; sepsis, 28 cases; and others, 3 cases. The causative organisms for the patients with meningitis and meningitis +sepsis were as follows: Haemophilus influenzae, 132 patients; and Streptococcus pneumoniae, 44 patients.
2. With respect to age distribution among the patients with meningitis and those with meningitis+sepsis, the number of the patients of the age younger than 1year old was more than twice larger than that of one-year-old patients. The percentage of the cases in which sequelae remained was 35.9% among the cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and 13.4% among the cases caused by Haemophilus influenzae. A significant difference was observed between the bacterial strains (p=0.0025).
3. The major initial symptoms observed were high fever, vomiting, consciousness disorder, drowsiness and poor sucking. The percentage of the patients with remaining sequelae was significantly high among the patients who exhibited convulsion in the early stage after the onset.
4. As to the relationship with administration of dexamethasone, sequelae remained in 40.0% (10/25) of the patients who did not receive dexamethasone, and 17.3% (23/133) of the patients who received the drug. The percentage of the patients with remaining sequelae was significantly low among the patients who received dexamethasone (p=0.0043).

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We developed a new software (Ver. 2.0) based on the Bayesian estimation utilized in the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of teicoplanin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, for the estimation of individual pharmacokinetic parameters. Individual pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by a least squares methods, MULTI2 (BAYES), and a two-compartment model with population pharmacokinetic parameters in adult patients in Japan was adopted. The predicted teicoplanin concentrations in patients were similar to the observed concentrations, suggesting that the software predicts with acceptable precision. This new software is now available in clinical practice.

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The bacterial strains isolated from 490 patients diagnosed as having urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 14 institutions in Japan were collected between August 2004 and July 2005. The susceptibilities of them to many kinds of antimicrobial agents were measured. Of them, 577 strains were estimated as causative bacteria and used for the measurement. The strains consisted of 156 Gram-positive bacterial strains (27.0%) and 421 Gram-negative bacterial strains (73.0%).
Against Staphylococcus aureus, arbekacin (ABK), vancomycin (VCM) showed the strongest activity and prevented the growth of all strains with 2μg/mL. Against Enterococcus faecalis, ampicillin (ABPC) and VCM showed a strong antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity of cephems to Escherichia coli was generally good, and especially cefozopran (CZOP) and cefpirome (CPR) showed the strongest activity (MIC₉₀: <125 μg/mL). Quinolone resistant E. coli [MIC of ciprofloxacin (CPFX): >4μg/mL] was detected at frequency of 18.8%, which was higher than that in the last year. Against Klebsiella pneumoniae, CZOP, meropenem (MEPM), and carumonam (CRMN) showed the strongest activity and prevented the growth of all strains with 0.125μg/mL or less. The antibacterial activity of the other cephems was relatively good, and decrease in their activity observed in the last year study was not recognized. Against Serratia marcescens, imipenem (IPM) and gentamicin (GM) had the strongest antibacterial activity. Against Proteus mirabilis, CRMN showed the strongest activity and prevented the growth of all strains with 0.125μg/mL or less. MEPM prevented the growth of all strains with 0.25μg/mL. Next, cefmenoxime (CMX), ceftazidime (CAZ), CZOP, cefixime (CFIX), cefpodoxime (CPDX), and cefditoren (CDTR) showed a strong activity. The antibacterial activity of the drugs to Pseudomonas aeruginosa was generally low, and MIC₉₀ of all the drugs was ranged from 32 to >128μg/mL except IPM and MEPM having 16μg/mL. The antibacterial activities of CZOP and CAZ were considered to be relatively good on MIC₅₀ comparison (MIC₅₀: 2μg/mL).

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Six hundred six bacterial strains isolated from 490 patients diagnosed as having urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 14 institutions in Japan were collected between August 2004 and July 2005. The frequency of bacteria isolation stratified with patient clinical background was compared. The clinical background investigated included sex, age, type of infections, timing of antibiotics administration, and presence or absence of surgery affecting a decrease in defense against infection.
The bacterial strains were stratified with the age and sex of the patients and the types of infections. In males, the number of patients aged less than 60 years was few and the complicated UTIs without indwelling catheter was observed most frequently. In females, the number of patients aged less than 60 years was comparatively more than in males. In all of ages except 0-19 and >80 years, the ratio of the uncomplicated UTIs was high, accounting for 44.1-90.0% of all types of infections. In the present time, the bacteria most frequently isolated were Escherichia coli. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis also were relatively frequently isolated. E. coli most frequently isolated with the uncomplicated UTIs and P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis most frequently isolated with the complicated UTIs. With respect to the relation of these results to the age of the patients, in the uncomplicated UTIs, the isolation frequency of E. coli was the highest in all age groups except 0-19 years, accounting for 50% or higher. In the complicated UTIs without indwelling catheter, the isolation frequency of E. coli tended to be high in all age groups. In the complicated UTIs with indwelling catheter, P.aeruginosa were more frequently isolated. In comparison of causative bacteria in UTIs between before and after the administration of antibiotics, P. aeruginosa increased after the administration in any types of UTIs. In comparison of causative bacteria in UTIs with or without surgery, E. coli was more frequently isolated in the patients without surgery, while P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis were more frequently isolated in the patients with surgery in any UTIs.

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