Table 5.

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities (E-test)^*. Values are percentages

Antibiotics	Young infants (n=167)	Meningitis/encephalitis (n=123)	Severe malnutrition (n=141)	Very severe pneumonia (n=30)	Severe pneumonia (n=84)	Mild pneumonia (n=64)	Skin/soft tissue infection (n=8)	No defined syndrome (n=141)
Amoxicillin/ampicillin	55	70	57	73	56	72	50	59
Co-trimoxazole	73	34	42	43	36	56	88	54
Benzyl penicillin	31	33	32	50	34	47	38	28
Chloramphenicol	76	76	77	83	74	83	100	81
Penicillin and gentamicin	88	51	81	68	73	83	88	77
Ampicillin and gentamicin	97	81	87	84	85	91	88	88
Penicillin and chloramphenicol	82	76	77	83	74	83	100	82
Cefotaxime	86	93	94	93	92	98	88	93

^*E-test was done on 758 (95%) isolates. Percentages refer to the proportion of isolates sensitive to the antibiotic or combination. For admissions with confirmed meningitis, sensitivity is taken as the NCCLS “sensitive” breakpoint. For children aged ≥60 days with confirmed meningitis, isolates were classified as not susceptible to gentamicin because of poor penetration in cerebrospinal fluid. In admissions without meningitis, sensitivity is taken as NCCLS “intermediate” or “sensitive.”