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European surveillance study on the antibiotic susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes

C Oprica1, C E Nord,

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Bacteriology, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|February 18, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial resistance has emerged in Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) systemic infections across Europe. Resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin was observed, with significant country-to-country variations in P. acnes antibiotic susceptibility patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is implicated in various infections, including those associated with surgical procedures and foreign bodies.
  • Understanding the antibiotic susceptibility of P. acnes is crucial for effective treatment of systemic infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. acnes isolates from diverse systemic infections across Europe.
  • To determine the genomic diversity among resistant P. acnes isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Main Methods:

  • A total of 304 P. acnes isolates from 13 European countries were tested against six antimicrobial agents.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the NCCLS reference agar dilution method.
  • Genomic diversity was assessed via low-frequency restriction analysis of chromosomal DNA by PFGE.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence of resistance: 2.6% to tetracycline, 15.1% to clindamycin, and 17.1% to erythromycin. No resistance to linezolid, benzylpenicillin, or vancomycin.
  • Blood isolates were most frequent among resistant strains.
  • Significant inter-country variation in resistance proportions was noted, with high rates in Croatia (83%) and Italy (60%).

Conclusions:

  • Antimicrobial resistance has emerged in P. acnes isolates causing systemic infections.
  • The findings highlight the need for ongoing surveillance of P. acnes antibiotic susceptibility.
  • Genomic analysis revealed considerable diversity among resistant P. acnes strains.

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