Title: Distribution of resistance genes ermB,mefA,tetM and the integrase gene intTn of Tn1545 in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Abstract: Objective To investigate the distribution of resistance genes ermB , mefA , tetM and the integrase gene intTn of Tn1545 in Streptococcus pneumoniae . Methods The antimicrobial sensitivity to 15 antibiotics of 185 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates was tested. PCR was used to detect the macrolide resistance genes ermB and mefA , tetracycline resistance genes tetM , and the integrase gene intTn of Tn1545. Results Of the 185 pneumococcal isolates, the resistance rates to erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline and sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim were 78.9%, 76.2%, 86.0% and 78.7% respectively. For amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefaclor, ceftriaxone and cefuroxime, the resistance rates were 2.2%, 15.5%, 2.8% and 14.1% respectively. All erythromycin resistant isolates had ermB and/or mefA gene of these strains, 79.5% had ermB , 17.8% had both ermB and mefA , and 2.7% had mefA of the 185 isolates, 87% was positive for the tetracycline resistance gene tetM . The presence of tetM gene in tetracycline resistant strains was higher(96.9%) than those in tetracycline susceptible strains(26.9%). So did the erythromycin resistance rates in tetracycline resistant strains (90.0%) than those in tetracycline sensitive strains(11.5%). The intTn gene was detected in 87.6% of the 185 test strains. The most prevalent patterns associated with the four test genes of the strains, were those had intTn , tetM and ermB (58.4%). Conclusion Resistance to macrolide in Streptococcus pneumoniae collected from nasopharyngeal sites in children with respiratory tract infection in Beijing Children′s Hospital was generally mediated by methylation of 23S rRNA via ermB methylase. Pneumococcal resistance to tetracycline was predominantly due to ribosomal protection encoded by tetM . There was a significant association of the ermB and tetM genes with Tn1545 related elements.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 3
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