Distribution of resistance genes tet(M), aph3′-III, catpC194 and the integrase gene of Tn1545 in clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae harbouring erm(B) and mef(A) genes in Spain

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 863 - 866
• Main Authors: Seral, Cristina, Castillo, F. Javier, Rubio-Calvo, M. Carmen, Fenoll, Asunción, García, Concepción, Gómez-Lus, Rafael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.06.2001; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Chloramphenicol Resistance - genetics; Conjugation, Genetic - genetics; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; Drug Resistance, Microbial - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics; Humans; Integrases - genetics; Kanamycin Kinase - genetics; Macrolides; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Methyltransferases - metabolism; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Spain; Streptococcus pneumoniae - drug effects; Streptococcus pneumoniae - enzymology; Streptococcus pneumoniae - genetics; Spain; Drug susceptibility test; Transposon; Tetracycline derivatives; Chloramphenicol; Erythromycin; In vitro; Macrolide; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Tetracycline; Resistance; Streptococcaceae; Antibiotic; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Genetics; Mutation; Antibacterial agent
• ISSN: 0305-7453; 1460-2091; 1460-2091
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/47.6.863

The most prevalent macrolide resistance phenotype and genotype among pneumococcal isolates was the cMLSB phenotype [erm(B) or erm(B)/mef(A)] (91.3%). We studied the distribution of other resistance genes, tet(M), catpC194, aph3′-III, in these strains, seeing evolution at work in that some strains carried different combinations of resistance determinants. The most prevalent patterns associated with resistance to erythromycin [erm(B)] were resistance to tetracycline [tet(M)] and chloramphenicol (catpC194) (48.2%) or resistance to tetracycline [tet(M)] alone (42.2%). In our isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae there was a strong association of the erm(B) and tet(M) genes with Tn1545-related elements.