The postal code as a “bar code” of antimicrobial resistance

Abstract

Introduction. The need to integrate local resistances into clinical practice is increasingly urgent, especially in Primary Care where empirical treatment is frequent. Methods. A retrospective observational study of positive microbiological isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from any location (urethral, cervical, pharyngeal, rectal or urine) was carried out in the health area of Alcalá de Henares. Sociodemographic characteristics and resistance to cephalosporins, azithromycin, penicillin and quinolones were analyzed. Each isolate was related to its postal code of origin. Results. We analyzed 256 microbiological samples of N.gonorrhoeae, most of them male (92.9%) with a mean age of 33 years. Half of the samples (49.8%) were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Temporal and spatial evolution of antimicrobial resistance was integrated in heat maps. Conclusion. Knowing local resistances can help to prescribe more adequate empirical treatments, especially in Primary Care, avoiding inadequate antibiotics and decreasing resistance rates.