Dominance of multidrug resistant CC271 clones in macrolide-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae in Arizona

  • Jolene R. Bowers
  • , Elizabeth M. Driebe
  • , Jennifer L. Nibecker
  • , Bette R. Wojack
  • , Derek S. Sarovich
  • , Ada H. Wong
  • , Pius M. Brzoska
  • , Nathaniel Hubert
  • , Andrew Knadler
  • , Lindsey M. Watson
  • , David M. Wagner
  • , Manohar R. Furtado
  • , Michael Saubolle
  • , David M. Engelthaler
  • , Paul S. Keim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Rates of resistance to macrolide antibiotics in Streptococcus pneumoniae are rising around the world due to the spread of mobile genetic elements harboring mef(E) and erm(B) genes and post-vaccine clonal expansion of strains that carry them. Results: Characterization of 592 clinical isolates collected in Arizona over a 10 year period shows 23.6% are macrolide resistant. The largest portion of the macrolide-resistant population, 52%, is dual mef(E)/erm(B)-positive. All dual-positive isolates are multidrug-resistant clonal lineages of Taiwan 19F-14, mostly multilocus sequence type 320, carrying the recently described transposon Tn2010. The remainder of the macrolide resistant S. pneumoniae collection includes 31% mef(E)-positive, and 9% erm(B)-positive strains. Conclusions: The dual-positive, multidrug-resistant S. pneumoniae clones have likely expanded by switching to non-vaccine serotypes after the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine release, and their success limits therapy options. This upsurge could have a considerable clinical impact in Arizona.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number12
JournalBMC microbiology
Volume12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Microbiology (medical)

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