Résumé
Objective:To investigate the phenotypes, molecular types and drug-resistance genes of erythromycin (ERY)-resistant group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnant women in late pregnancy in Zhengzhou and provide basic data for the prevention, control and treatment of GBS infection. Methods:This study retrospectively collected 86 GBS strains isolated from the vaginal secretions of pregnant women in late pregnancy at Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province from 2021 to 2022. ERY-resistant GBS strains were selected using the ERY disk diffusion method, and their susceptibility to 10 different antibiotics was tested. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to analyze their molecular features including molecular types, clonal complex groups and drug-resistance genes. Drug-resistance genes carried by GBS strains belonging to different clonal complex groups were compared.Results:There were 70 ERY-resistant GBS strains. Among them, 7.14%(5/70) exhibited an inducible resistance phenotype to macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) antibiotics; 84.29%(59/70) showed constitutive resistance to MLSB antibiotics; 8.57%(6/70) were resistant to macrolides but susceptible to lincosamides. The resistance rates of these strains to clindamycin (CLI), tetracycline (TE) and levofloxacin (LEV) were 91.43%(64/70), 54.29%(38/70) and 60.00%(42/70), respectively. These ERY-resistant strains exhibited multidrug resistance patterns with 40.00%(28/70) showing ERY-CLI-LEV resistance phenotype and 30.00%(21/70) showing ERY-CLI-TE resistance phenotype. The major drug-resistance genes carried by the 70 GBS strains were macrolide/lincosamide resistance genes mreA (100.00%) and ermB (53/70, 75.71%), aminoglycoside resistance genes ant (6)-Ⅰ a (22/70, 31.43%) and aph(3′)-Ⅲ (18/70, 25.71%), and tetracycline resistance genes tetM (22/70, 31.43%) and tetO (13/70, 18.57%). These strains belonged to 12 sequence types derived from seven clonal complexes (CCs) and 48.57%(34/70) of them were clustered into CC12. All CC12 strains harbored ermB, but none carried ermA. The positive rates of lsaE, lunB, and aac (6′)- aph(2" ) in CC19 and CC651 strains, ant (6)-Ⅰ a in CC651 and CC452 strains, and mefA and msrD in CC19 and CC23 strains were significantly higher than those in CC12 strains ( P<0.001). Conclusions:ERY-resistant GBS in Zhengzhou exhibited diverse drug resistance phenotypes and molecular types. CC12 was the most prevalent clonal complex in this region. The constitutive MLSB resistance phenotype and ermB gene were the most common ERY resistance phenotype and genotype, respectively, and tetM gene was related to tetracycline resistance. Furthermore, the drug-resistance genes varied in GBS strains of different clonal complexes. This study suggested that close attention should be paid to the epidemiological situation of GBS in this region and the effectiveness of antibiotics used for clinical prevention and treatment of GBS infection should be carefully evaluated.