Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Strains Occur Frequently in Elderly Patients in Japan

We identified and genetically characterized seven fluoroquinolone-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains among 293 clinical strains isolated from 1999 to 2001 in Japan. The resistant strains were isolated only from adults, and 7 of 31 isolates (22.6%) were from patients more than 20 years old. Resistant strains were not found in 262 isolates from children under age 10.