Erythromycin and penicillin resistance mechanisms among viridans group streptococci isolated from blood cultures of adult patients with underlying diseases

The aim of the study was to evaluate the species distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility and erythromycin-penicillin resistance mechanisms of viridans streptococci (VGS) isolates from blood cultures of adult patients with underlying diseases. Fifty VGS blood culture isolates were screened for the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New microbiologica 2011-04, Vol.34 (2), p.187-193
Main Authors: Ergin, Alper, Eser, Özgen Köseoğlu, Hasçelik, Gülşen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Blood - microbiology
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
Erythromycin - pharmacology
Female
Humans
Male
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Middle Aged
Penicillins - pharmacology
Streptococcal Infections - microbiology
Viridans Streptococci - drug effects
Viridans Streptococci - genetics
Viridans Streptococci - isolation & purification
Young Adult
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The aim of the study was to evaluate the species distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility and erythromycin-penicillin resistance mechanisms of viridans streptococci (VGS) isolates from blood cultures of adult patients with underlying diseases. Fifty VGS blood culture isolates were screened for their antibiotic susceptibilities against penicillin G, erythromycin and tetracycline by E-test. Clindamycin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin, linezolid and vancomycin susceptibility were performed by broth microdilution method. Erythromycin and penicillin resistance genotypes, ermB and mefA/E, pbp1a, pbp2b and pbp2x are amplified using PCR method. The clinical isolates included Streptococcus mitis (n. 19), S.oralis (n. 13), S.sanguinis, S.parasanguinis (n. 6, each), S.salivarius, S.vestibularis (n. 2, each), S.constellatus, S.sobrinus (n. 1, each). The percentage resistance against erythromycin and penicillin was 36% and 30%, respectively. The genotypic carriage rate of erythromycin resistance genes were: 56% ermB, 28% mefE, 8% ermB+mefE. Penicillin-resistant isolates carried pbp2b (33.3%) and pbp2x (20%) genes. Twenty-four VGS isolates were recovered from patients with cancer. S.mitis and S.oralis predominated among patients with cancer who had erythromycin and penicillin resistance isolates. The importance of classical antimicrobial agents like penicillin and erythromycin warrants the continuous surveillance of invasive VGS isolates and can guide better treatment options especially in patients with underlying diseases.
ISSN:1121-7138