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Emergence of macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes strains in French children
Edouard Bingen1, Philippe Bidet, Liliana Mihaila-Amrouche
1Université Denis Diderot-Paris 7, Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48 Bd Sérurier, 75019 Paris, France. edouard.bingen@rdb.ap-hop-paris.fr
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|August 26, 2004
Summary
Erythromycin resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes is increasing in French children, primarily linked to specific emm type 28 clones. This resistance is often associated with the ermB gene.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Streptococcus pyogenes is a significant bacterial pathogen causing various infections in children.
- Antimicrobial resistance in S. pyogenes is a growing public health concern.
- Understanding resistance patterns and genetic diversity is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from French children.
- To determine the serotype and genomic diversity of these isolates.
- To identify the genetic mechanisms conferring erythromycin resistance.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 322 Streptococcus pyogenes throat isolates from French children.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, focusing on erythromycin.
- Molecular methods to identify resistance genes (ermB, ermA, mefA) and emm types.
Main Results:
- 22.4% of S. pyogenes isolates exhibited erythromycin resistance.
- The ermB gene was the most prevalent resistance determinant (69.4% of resistant isolates).
- Erythromycin resistance is strongly associated with specific emm type 28 clones in France.
Conclusions:
- A notable proportion of S. pyogenes isolates from French children are resistant to erythromycin.
- The ermB gene is the primary driver of erythromycin resistance in this population.
- The emergence of resistance is linked to the clonal spread of emm type 28 strains, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.