Study of the molecular mechanisms involved in high-level macrolide resistance of Spanish Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy Vol. 65; no. 10; pp. 2083 - 2088
• Main Authors: Pérez-Boto, D., López-Portolés, J. A., Simón, C., Valdezate, S., Echeita, M. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.10.2010; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: 23S rRNA; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter coli; Campylobacter coli - drug effects; Campylobacter coli - isolation & purification; Campylobacter Infections - microbiology; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - drug effects; Campylobacter jejuni - isolation & purification; CmeABC; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; erythromycin; Genes; Gram-negative bacteria; Humans; Macrolides - pharmacology; Medical sciences; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Point Mutation; Ribonucleic acid; Ribosomal Proteins - genetics; RNA; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 23S - genetics; rplD; rplV; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Europe; Spain; rplD; CmeABC; Campylobacteraceae; Erythromycin; 23S-RNA; Macrolide; Campylobacter jejuni; Strain; Resistance; Antibiotic; 23S rRNA; Bacteria; Protein synthesis inhibitor; Antibacterial agent; Mechanism of action; rpIV
• ISSN: 0305-7453; 1460-2091
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkq268

Objectives To investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the high-level erythromycin resistance of clinical Spanish Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains. Methods Overall susceptibilities of 678 C. jejuni and 119 C. coli strains, collected from 10 Spanish provinces during 2006 and 2007, were determined by Etest. In high-level erythromycin-resistant strains, molecular determinants were studied. The analysis was focused on region V of the 23S rRNA gene, the rplD and rplV ribosomal genes, and the regulatory region of the CmeABC efflux pump. Results The global resistance rate to erythromycin was 3.8%. Among the resistant strains, 93% were C. coli and 7% were C. jejuni. The A2075G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene was detected in all of the resistant strains except for two, which carried the A2074G mutation. None of the ribosomal rplD and rplV genes harboured the described mutations that confer resistance to macrolides. Different mutations affecting the regulatory region of the CmeABC efflux pump were also found. Conclusions C. coli strains are clearly more resistant to erythromycin than C. jejuni. The mutation A2075G in the 23S rRNA gene was responsible for the resistance in most of the strains; A2074G was only found in two strains. Further studies are required to ascertain the effect of mutations in the regulatory region of cmeABC. Our data indicate that the rate of resistance was similar to that of other European countries.