Erythromycin Resistance Genes in Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates in Kanagawa, Japan

Abstract

The susceptibility of 224 Streptococcus pyogenes isolates obtained from children in Japan from 1981 to 1997 to treatment with erythromycin was determined by the agar dilution method. A total of 17 isolates belonging to serotype M12T12 were resistant (MICs > 1 μg/ml). Fourteen of the 17 resistant strains obtained from 1982 to 1985 harbored ermB and showed an identical pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis pattern, indicating the spread of a single clone. Two ermTR‐containing isolates were obtained in 1983. mefA gene was found in a strain obtained in 1994 in the present study, although this gene is predominantly associated with recent erythromycin resistance among S. pyogenes strains in many countries.

Macrolide-resistant genes of Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from the upper respiratory tract by polymerase chain reaction

“…In 2000, Murase et al reported one clonal origin of ermB-positive strain. 20 However, in the report a few mefApositive strains were identified. In the present study, all strains of the M phenotype with the mefA gene could be restricted by ApaI but not SmaI endonuclease.…”

“…6 A recent study revealed that the frequencies of EM resistance were up to 2.8% and 6.5% in the late 1990s. 20 This gradual increase correlates with increasing consumption of new macrolides. In the present study, the overall rate of EM-resistant S. pyogenes was 9.7%, and the predominant serotype of the strains were T12, emm9 and T25, emm75.…”

The rise of antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter

“…The mechanism of Campylobacter resistance to macrolide was mainly modification of the ribosomal target, occurring either by enzyme-mediated methylation or by point mutation in the 23S rRNA, A2075G or A2074T of 23S rRNA, and can occur in C. jejuni and C. coli [9,32 ▪▪ ]. Additionally, a ribosomal methylase encoded by ermB also confers resistance to macrolides (erythromycin); it is mainly detected in macrolide-resistant C. coli [33], is homologous to some gram-positive bacteria ( Aerococcus viridans and Streptococcus pyogenes ) [34,35], and is more prevalent in China than in other countries [36 ▪ ]. A total of 31.3% erm (B)-positive Campylobacter isolates were obtained from retail chicken meat in Henan province, China, all of which belonged to C. coli [36 ▪ ].…”

Current status of antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes in Japan: report of a countrywide surveillance study

“…6 The prevalence of macrolide-resistant S. pyogenes isolates then declined in the 1980s. 1 The difference in prevalence between that in the 1970s and the current surveillance is related to the decreased consumption of macrolides. In 2003, Suzuki et al 11 reported that S. pyogenes collected during the period 1998 to 1999 were all susceptible to -lactams and macrolides.…”

“…1 S. pyogenes is susceptible to most antibiotics. Penicillin is uniformly active against S. pyogenes and is the drug of first choice for treatment of infections caused by this organism.…”