Bacteriological and epidemiological data of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the hospital of southern Reunion island

We studied the epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae in southern Reunion Island from 1993 to 1998. Data were collected from the Centre hospitalier Sud Reunion. Incidence of pneumonia was calculated by applying published ratios to two different types of data (bacteriological, clinical). Survey of pneumococci showed that antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin G appeared in 1994 and reached high levels in 1998. We confirmed the increase of multiresistant strains among penicillin resistant S. pneumoniae. Serotyping the penicillin resistant S. pneumoniae has shown that these strains belonged to serogroups 9, 14, 19, 23. The MIC determined in PRP showed that imipenem was the most active agent among 8-lactamin antibiotics followed by ceftriaxone. Strains with high resistance to amoxicillin are rare. Annual incidence of meningitis was almost 0,4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Estimation of pneumonia incidence was between 44 and 78 per 100, 000 inhabitants. Incidence in Reunion Island is twice to three times lower than the incidence in France. Death rate from pneumoniae (10%) is similar to that in France. In the course of the study the number of isolated S. pneumoniae increased. Changing socio-economic conditions are probably associated with the emergence of FRP si-ice 1994 and the increase in numbers of infections. Pneumococcal infections in Reunion Island are becoming a public health problem of the same importance as in France.