Erythromycin resistance in the commensal throat flora of patients visiting the general practitioner: a reservoir for resistance genes for potential pathogenic bacteria

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 133 - 137
• Main Authors: Nys, S., Tjhie, J.H.T., Bartelds, A.I.M., Heijnen, M.L.A., Peeters, M.F., Stobberingh, E.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 01.08.2005; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier State - drug therapy; Carrier State - microbiology; Commensal streptococci; Conjugation; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - genetics; ermB; Erythromycin; Erythromycin - pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; mefA; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharyngitis - drug therapy; Pharyngitis - epidemiology; Pharyngitis - microbiology; Physicians, Family; Streptococcal Infections - drug therapy; Streptococcal Infections - microbiology; Streptococcus - drug effects; Streptococcus - genetics; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Suspension mating; mefA; Commensal streptococci; Erythromycin; Conjugation; ermB; Suspension mating; Microflora; Reservoir; Epidemiology; Gene; Pathogenic; Micrococcales; Bacteria; Genetics; Human; General practitioner; Suspension; Oropharynx; Macrolide; Pathogenicity; Resistance; Streptococcaceae; Antibiotic; Streptococcus; Flora; Dosage form; Antibacterial agent
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.04.010

The prevalence and mechanism of erythromycin resistance in commensal throat streptococci was determined from October 2000 until December 2002 as part of an ongoing study of the NIVEL in general practice patients ( N = 678). Resistance prevalence for 1 mg/L and 16 mg/L erythromycin was 57% and 20%, respectively. The percentage of total commensal flora resistant within each patient ranged from 1% to 100% (median, 1%). mefA was predominantly found among isolates on the 1 mg/L plates, and ermB was found in 64% of the isolates on the 16 mg/L plates. Erythromycin resistance was transferred from a commensal isolate to Streptococcus pneumoniae with a frequency of 1 × 10 −9. Commensal streptococci of general practice patients in The Netherlands form a large reservoir of transferable erythromycin resistance (genes) for potential pathogenic microorganisms.