Emergence in France of Multiple Clones of Clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates with High-Level Resistance to Amoxicillin

The genetic relatedness of French isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae highly resistant to amoxicillin (MIC, ≥4 μg/ml, equal to or exceeding those of penicillin) was investigated by molecular fingerprinting. The results suggest that high-level resistance to amoxicillin has emerged within preexisting penicillin-resistant clones.