National sentinel site surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates

563 August 2014, Vol. 104, No. 8 The increasing prevalence of serious hospitaland community-acquired infections is of great concern, with patients dying as a result of emerging antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic-resistant organisms are widespread globally, both in developed and developing countries.[1] These organisms are a major threat to public health, reduce the effectiveness of empiric antimicrobial treatment options, and increase morbidity, mortality and healthcare expenditure. A national surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance is essential to establish a baseline of the extent of the problem, to follow trends of resistance, and to form the basis for recommendations of appropriate antimicrobial use to clinicians and other healthcare providers. A National sentinel site surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in South Africa, 2010 2012