Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents is an increasing problem in many areas of the tropics. In most countries there is little information available to determine the patterns of resistance in different pathogens, nor are local data available to influence prescribing. This paper will review the development of antimicrobial resistance in the tropics, consider the current priority problems, and suggest strategies that may be taken to improve the surveillance of resistance.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BurkeJPLevySB. Summary report on worldwide antibiotic resistance: international task forces on antibiotic use. Rev Infect Dis1985;7:560–4.
2.
WatanabeTFukasawaT. Episome mediated transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. Transfer of drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. Transfer of resistance factors by conjugation. J Bacteriol1960;81:669–77.
3.
MataLJGangarosaEJPereraDRMejicaneML. Epidemic Shiga bacillus dysentery in Central America 1. Etiologic investigations in Guatemala. J Infect Dis1970;122:170–80.
4.
FrostJARoweBVandepitteJThrelfallEJ. Plasmid mid characterisation in the investigation of an epidemic caused by multiply resistant Shigella dysenteriae in central Africa. Lancet1981;ii:1074–6.
5.
SaundersJR. Genetics and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Br Med Bull1984;40:54–60.
6.
ShearsP. A review of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents in tropical countries. Ann Trop Paediat1993;13:219–26.
7.
MunshiMHSackDAHaiderKAhmedZURahamanMM. Plasmid mediated resistance to nalidixic acid in Shigella dysenteriae. Lancet1987;ii:419–21.
8.
CavalloJDNielLTalarminADubronsP. Antibiotic sensitivity to epidemic strains of Vibrio cholerae and Shigella dysenteriae in Rwandan refugee camps in Zaire. Med Trop [Mars]1995;55:351–3.
9.
LingJChauPY. Plasmids mediating resistance to chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and ampicillin in Salmonella typhi strains isolated in south-east Asia. J Infect Dis1984; 149:652.
10.
CoovadiaYMGathiramVBhamjeeAAn outbreak of multi-resistant Salmonella typhi in South Africa. Q J Med1992;298:91–100.
11.
OlarteJGalindoE. Salmonella typhi resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and other antimicrobial agents: strains isolated during an extensive typhoid fever epidemic in Mexico. Antimicrob Agents Chemother1973;4:597–601.
12.
KhoslaSNSamanAKhoslaPSabharwalMDKhoslaA. Drug resistant typhoid fever. Trop Doct1998;28:235–7.
13.
ParryCWainJChinhNTVinhHFararJJ. Quinolone resistant Salmonella typhi in Vietnam. Lancet1998;351:1289.
14.
WainJHoaNTVenhHQuinolone resistant Salmonella typhi in Vietnam — molecular basis of resistance and clinical response to treatment. Clin Infect Dis1997; 6:1404–10.
15.
MasonPRGwanzuraLLatifASMaronaERaySKazensteinDA. Antimicrobial resistance in gonococci isolated from patients in Harare, Zimbabwe. Int J Antimicrob Agents1997;9:175–9.
16.
MelessHAbegazeB. Drug susceptibility of Neisseria isolates from patients attending clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in Addis Ababa. E Afr Med J1997;74:447–9.
17.
KnappJSWongbaCLimpakarnjanaratKAntimicrobial susceptibilities of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Bangkok, Thailand 1994–1995. Sex Transm Dis1997;24:142–8.
18.
World Health Organization. Antimicrobial resistance in gonococci, WHO Western Pacific Region 1996. Commun Dis Intell1997;21:349–53.
19.
Ndinya-AcholaJOOmariMAOdhiamboFAMuraqeEMutereAN. Survey of penicillin resistant pneumococci at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi. E Afr Med J1997; 74:151–3.
20.
OppenheimBKoornhofHJAustrianR. Antibiotic resistant pneumococcal disease in children at Baragwanath Hospital, Johanesburg. Paediat Infect Dis J1986;6:520–4.
21.
MaistroTDGhafoorANomaniNKIshaqZAuwarF. Antimicrobial resistance of pneumococci in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection in Pakistan. Lancet1991;337:156–9.
22.
AnastasisDPillaiGRambiritchVAbdool KarimSS. A retrospective study of human immunodeficiency virus infection and drug resistant tuberculosis in Durban, South Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis1997;1:220–4.
23.
GithiuWAJumaESvan GorkomJKibugaDOdhiamboJDrobniewskiF. Antituberculosis drug resistance surveillance in Kenya, 1995. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis1998;2:499–505.
24.
BercionRKuabonC. Initial resistance to antituberculosis drugs in Yaounde, Cameroon in 1995. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis1997;1:110–14.
25.
ChowguleRVDeodarL. Pattern of secondary acquired drug resistance to antituberculosis drugs in Mumbai, India, 1991–1995. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci1998;40:23–31.
26.
RiantawanPPurnotokJChaisuksuwanRPransujavitV. Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to antituberculosis drugs in the Central Region of Thailand 1996. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis1998;2:616–20.
27.
MendozaMTGonzagaAJGonzagaAJNature of drug resistance and predictors of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among patients seen at the Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis1997;1:59–63.
28.
FoxW. The chemotherapy of tuberculosis. Chest1979; 76:785–96.
29.
ThomsonGSterkyG. Self prescribing by way of pharmacies in three Asian developing countries. Lancet1986;ii:620–1.
30.
ChessbroughM. Medical Laboratory Manual for Tropical Countries, Vol 2. London: ELBS/Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993.
