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Tolerance to penicillin in Staphylococcus pyogenes isolated from skin infections

Carmen Pânzaru1, D Goţia, Tatiana Tăranu

  • 1School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Gr.T. Popa, Iaşi.

Insights

Penicillin tolerance in Streptococcus pyogenes skin infection strains was investigated. Seven of fourteen isolated S. pyogenes strains exhibited penicillin tolerance, detected via beta-lactamase disc and time-killing curve methods.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Penicillin tolerance in Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) has been linked to treatment failures in pharyngeal infections.
  • The clinical significance of S. pyogenes penicillin tolerance in skin infections remains less understood.
  • Investigating tolerance is crucial for optimizing antibiotic strategies against S. pyogenes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of penicillin tolerance in S. pyogenes strains isolated from pediatric skin infections.
  • To evaluate the utility of standard laboratory methods for detecting penicillin tolerance in these strains.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and identification of S. pyogenes from 138 pus samples from children with skin infections.
  • Detection of penicillin tolerance using the beta-lactamase disc test.
  • Confirmation of tolerance using the time-killing curve method.

Main Results:

  • Fourteen strains of S. pyogenes were isolated from 138 samples.
  • Seven (50%) of the isolated S. pyogenes strains demonstrated tolerance to penicillin.
  • Both the beta-lactamase disc test and time-killing curve methods identified penicillin tolerance.

Conclusions:

  • Penicillin tolerance is present in a significant proportion of S. pyogenes strains causing skin infections in children.
  • Standard microbiological methods can effectively detect penicillin tolerance in S. pyogenes.
  • Further research is needed to correlate penicillin tolerance with clinical outcomes in skin infections.

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