SURVEY OF THE SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF BACTEROIDES-FRAGILIS GROUP STRAINS IN FRANCE FROM 1977 TO 1992

Rates of antibiotic resistance within the Bacteroides fragilis group were monitored over a 15-year period in France by examining studies that employed the same methodology to test susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria. Chloramphenicol, metronidazole, beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations and imipenem remained very active against Bacteroides fragilis. There was little or no change in rates of resistance to these antibiotics. Resistance to clindamycin increased from 1 % in 1977 to a peak of 19 % in 1987, and since then has remained at 8 to 12 %. There was some evidence that resistance to most beta-lactam agents increased during the same period. These results emphasize the need for periodic surveys of resistance patterns of the Bacteroides fragilis group in each country.