Objective
The Institute has been host to the Swiss National Center for Pneumococci since its inception 2002. The Center, funded by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), provides a representative and prospective surveillance of the circulating pneumococcal serotypes and their resistance to antibiotics.
Tasks
Which pneumococcal isolates are collected?
All isolates from normally sterile sites (Blood, CSF, biopsies etc.) are monitored.
Which tests are performed?
- All isolates are tested for a lack of susceptibility to oxacillin, erythromycin, levofloxacin and co-trimoxazole. In cases of non-susceptibility to oxacillin, the Penicillin G and ceftriaxone MIC is determined (commercial broth microdilution).
- All isolates are serotyped by means of the Quellung reaction.
- Molecular typing of isolates is performed upon request, or for specific research projects (whole genome sequencing)
Submission of isolates
Please ensure that you send only pure cultures of pneumococcal isolates to the Center. Isolates should be accompanied by a completed form (provided upon request)
Data protection
Patient data is treated confidentially; only anonymized data is sent to the FOPH.
Contact person: Markus Hilty PhD, Phone: 031/ 632 49 83 E-Mail: Markus.Hilty@ifik.unibe.ch
