Trichomonas vaginalis Metronidazole Resistance Is Associated with Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Nitroreductase Genes ntr4Tv and ntr6Tv

• Published in: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy Vol. 58; no. 5; pp. 2938 - 2943
• Main Authors: PAULISH-MILLER, Teresa E, AUGOSTINI, Peter, SCHUYLER, Jessica A, SMITH, William L, MORDECHAI, Eli, ADELSON, Martin E, GYGAX, Scott E, SECOR, William E, HILBERT, David W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiprotozoal Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Codon, Terminator - genetics; Drug Resistance - genetics; Mechanisms of Resistance; Medical sciences; Metronidazole; Metronidazole - pharmacology; Nitroreductases; Nitroreductases - genetics; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Protozoan Proteins; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Trichomonas vaginalis; Trichomonas vaginalis - drug effects; Trichomonas vaginalis - genetics; Trichomonas vaginalis; Nitro compound; Imidazole derivatives; Protozoa; Genetic variability; Genotype; Trichomonadida; Resistance; Antiprotozoal agent; Antifungal agent; Gene; Parasiticide; Genetics; Metronidazole; Single nucleotide polymorphism
• ISSN: 0066-4804; 1098-6596
• DOI: 10.1128/AAC.02370-13

Metronidazole resistance in the sexually transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is a problematic public health issue. We have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two nitroreductase genes (ntr4Tv and ntr6Tv) associated with resistance. These SNPs were associated with one of two distinct T. vaginalis populations identified by multilocus sequence typing, yet one SNP (ntr6Tv A238T), which results in a premature stop codon, was associated with resistance independent of population structure and may be of diagnostic value.