Genotyping of erythromycin resistant group C & G streptococci isolated in Chennai, south India.

Background & objectives: Increasing resistance to erythromycin has been observed worldwide in group C and group G streptococci (GCS/GGS). The information available from India is scanty. The aim of the study was to identify erythromycin resistant GCS/GGS isolates in Chennai, south India, and to compare erythromycin resistant genotypes with emm types. Methods: One hundred and thirty one GCS/GGS isolates were tested for erythromycin resistance by disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. Erythromycin resistance genotypes [erm(A), erm(B) and mef(A)] were determined by a multiplex PCR. emm types of erythromycin resistant GCS/GGS isolates was also assessed using emm gene sequencing method. Results: Sixteen of the 131 isolates (12.21%) were resistant to erythromycin. Majority of the isolates were GGS (15/16). Eight of the 16 (50%) were S. dysgalactiae subsps. equisimilis. Twelve isolates (75%) were MLSB phenotype and four (25%) were M phenotype. Of the 12 isolates which exhibited MLSB resistance, seven showed cMLSB phenotype and were positive for erm(B) gene. The remaining five were iMLSB phenotype of which three were positive for erm(A) gene and two for erm(B) gene. erm(A) was common among carriers whereas erm(B) was common among clinical isolates. Interpretation & conclusions: MLSB was the predominant phenotype and erm(B) was the common genotype in the present study. The emm type stC1400.0 was frequently associated with erythromycin resistant GCS/GGS in our study.

Macrolide Resistance in beta-Hemolytic Streptococci: Changes after the Implementation of the Separation of Prescribing and Dispensing of Medications Policy in Korea

This study evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibilities and macrolide resistance mechanisms of beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHS), and an additional objective was to assess the effects of 'the separation of prescribing and dispensing (SPD) of medications' on bacterial resistance rate and distribution of phenotypes and genotypes of erythromycin-resistant BHS by comparing the antimicrobial susceptibility data before (1990- 2000) and after the implementation of SPD at one tertiary care hospital in South Korea. Between the period of January 2001 and December 2002, the minimal inhibitory concentrations of six antimicrobials were determined for 249 clinical isolates of BHS. Resistance mechanisms of erythromycin-resistant (intermediate and resistant) isolates were studied by using the double disk test and PCR. Overall, the resistance rates to tetracycline, erythromycin, and clindamycin were 75.5%, 32.9%, and 32.5%, respectively. Sixty-seven (81.7%) of 82 erythromycin- resistant isolates expressed constitutive resistance to macrolide- lincosamide-streptogramin B antibiotics (a constitutive MLSB phenotype) ; 11 isolates (13.4%) expressed an M phenotype; and four isolates (4.9%) had an inducible MLSB resistance phenotype. erm (A) was found in isolates with constitutive/ inducible MLSB phenotypes, erm (B) with the constitutive/ inducible MLSB phenotype, and mef (A) with the M phenotype. We found that resistance rates to erythromycin and clindamycin among S. agalactiae, S. pyogenes, and group C streptococci isolates were still high after the implementation of the SPD policy in Korea, and that the constitutive MLSB resistance phenotype was dominant among erythromycin- resistant BHS in this Korean hospital.

Distributions of Macrolide-Lincosamide-Streptogramin (MLS) Resistance Types in beta-hemolytic Streptococci / 대한임상미생물학회지

BACKGROUND: Macrolide resistance in beta-hemolytic streptococci has increased during the 1990s, and the proportion of MLS (Macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin) resistance phenotypes and genotypes of beta-hemolytic streptococci are quite different by geographical variation and study period. The aim of the present study was to determine the distribution of MLS resistance phenotypes and genotypes in beta-hemolytic streptococci isolated from Wonju Christian Hospital. METHODS: The minimal inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin and clindamycin of 426 beta- hemolytic streptococci isolated from clinical specimens between 1990 to 1999 were determined by agar dilution method. MLS resistance phenotypes were determined by double disk diffusion method using erythromycin and clindamycin disk, and genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR primers for erm(A), erm(B), erm(C), erm(TR), and mef(A) were used in these study. RESULTS: The proportion of MLS resistance phenotypes of 80 erythromycin-resistant beta-hemolytic streptococci were 60.0% for constitutive phenotype, 23.8% for M phenotype, and 16.2% for inducible phenotype. The proportion of three MLS resistance phenotypes of group A streptococci were nearly equal. About three-fourths of group B streptococci had the constitutive phenotypes, whereas three-fourths (75%) of group G streptococci had the M phenotypes. All MLS resistant strains carried the erm(B) genes in constitutive phenotypes, erm(TR) genes in inducible phenotypes, and mef(A) genes in M phenotypes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanisms and phenotype proportions of MLS resistance are different by species in beta-hemolytic streptococci. It is possible that MLS resistance genes have transferred among beta- hemolytic streptococci because the erythromycin resistance genes are the same in beta-hemolytic streptococci.