Based on microbiological examinations of smears from the nasopharynx of 822 children aged 2 - 36 months hospitalized in 1995 - 1997 with of respiratory infections the authors isolated Streptococcus pneumoniae in 100 (12.2%) cases. An altered sensitivity to penicillin was found in 27 (3.3%) of the patients. Evaluation of the clinical course of the disease and therapeutic procedure in patients colonized with susceptibility, intermediarily suscepti- bility (MIC 0.1 - 1.0 ug/ml) and resistant (MIC > 2 ug/ml) to penicillin did not reveal any significant differences. Based on the assembled results the authors recommend standard treatment of pneumococcal infections caused by intermediarily susceptibility strains, and in case of confirmed resistance to penicillin antibiotic treatment according to sensitivity assessed in vitro.

        Key words: pneumococcal infection, intermediary susceptibility, resistance, treatment