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Macrolide- and telithromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes, Belgium, 1999-2003
Surbhi Malhotra-Kumar1, Christine Lammens, Sabine Chapelle
1University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. surbhi.malhotra@ua.ac.be
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|June 21, 2005
Summary
Macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes reached 13% among tonsillopharyngitis patients. Resistance spread is linked to both gene transfer and clonal dissemination, with significant telithromycin resistance noted.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Streptococcus pyogenes is a common cause of tonsillopharyngitis.
- Macrolide antibiotics are frequently used for treatment.
- Emerging antimicrobial resistance poses a significant public health threat.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes.
- To investigate the mechanisms of resistance spread, including clonal dissemination and gene transfer.
- To characterize telithromycin resistance in clinical isolates.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 3,866 Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from tonsillopharyngitis patients.
- Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of macrolide resistance.
- Clonal analysis to identify dissemination patterns.
Main Results:
- A macrolide resistance rate of 13% was observed in Streptococcus pyogenes.
- 59% of resistant isolates belonged to five distinct clones.
- One of the largest reported collections of telithromycin-resistant isolates was identified.
Conclusions:
- Macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes is a significant concern.
- Both horizontal gene transfer and clonal spread contribute to the dissemination of resistant strains.
- The prevalence of telithromycin resistance warrants further investigation.